The Gift of Support for the Grieving

The holiday season is a joyous time of year marked by celebrations with family and friends.  However, if you know some one struggling with the death of a loved one, the holidays may create painful reminders that emphasize their sense of loss.  

This is true for me because my grandmother passed last month and my Dad three years ago. While I am so blessed to have wonderful memories, they are accompanied by the pain I feel from the loss of their still not being here to share in my life and see my children grow up. 

Often we are unsure how to act or what to say to support folks who are grieving loved ones during the holidays. So I found these tips provided by some Counselors from a community based grief support program in Ohio:

·     Do not struggle with finding the "right" words to say. A simple "I'm sorry" is often enough. Can’t tell you how often I used to put my foot in my mouth then after I suffered a loss I understood that less is more…

·     If you do not know what to do, ask yourself, "What would I like done for me under these circumstances?" It's okay to be direct. Just ask grieving friends what they need.

·     If you are unable to tolerate extremely painful mourning, help from afar. Offer to help with chores or running errands.  Never tell a grieving friend not to cry because you are not able to bear it. Weeping is essential so don’t discourage the tears. It’s normal and okay.

·     Share your own grieving experiences, but use good judgment. Only share that which will offer hope and survival.

·     Include grieving friends in social invitations, but be sure to allow them to freely accept or refuse without pressure.

·     Use good judgment in how long to visit. Grieving friends will be grateful you are there, but not comfortable asking you to leave.

·     Acknowledge the loss. This can be said simply and directly or send a note, flowers, or a donations to charities in their name.

·     Sharing spiritual beliefs that are uplifting can give great support; you may even help them find a  Grief Share group at a local church. Praying together can create a sense of unity.

·     Do not withdraw support too quickly after the funeral. This could create another sense of loss.

Now you know what to do and you can give a gift of support to someone and help them feel comforted during the holidays! What a great feeling it will be.

For more information visit  www.hospicewr.org  and www.griefshare.org 

Stand UP for Your Break Time, You Need It!

There is now an Emerging Science of Sedentary Behavior  and Neville Owen , Ph.D., Head of Behavioral Epidemiology at Australia's Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, presented evidence that suggests sitting for long periods of time is associated with health risks – even for people who are regularly physically active. Sitting time is emerging as a strong candidate for being a cancer risk factor in its own right. "It’s highly likely that the longer you sit, the higher your risk. This phenomenon isn't dependent on body weight or how much exercise people do," said Dr. Owen. However, recent evidence suggests that key indicators of cancer risk are lower when prolonged sitting is interrupted with brief (1-2 minute) breaks

Currently, Dr. Owen and his research team are conducting a randomized trial investigating the link between regular desk breaks and activities that promote standing to cancer risk biomarkers. Evidence from this study might lead to practical recommendations on workplace health, says Dr. Owen, such as removing office waste baskets so you have to get up and walk to them…no more waste basket hoops…, using standing desks…Not as bad as it sounds. 

 I have a set up with my laptop on a counter so that I can stand at times when I am working…, and meetings with standing breaks.  

By now, we've all heard advice to "Take the stairs, not the elevator." Which is good but there are many more ways to infuse your day at work with more activity:

• Set the timer on your computer to remind you every 60 minutes that it's time to step away from your desk and take a short walk down the hall.
• "Walk with me." Got a quick thing to discuss with a co-worker? Instead of sending an email, ask him or her to join you for a walk to hash it out on the go. The pedeconference: It's not just for TV characters anymore.
• Keep light hand weights in your office to use while reading email or talking on the phone.
• During all phone calls and phone meetings, stand up and walk around.
• For a more vigorous activity break, ask your employer to put a punching bag or chin-up bar in your break room. ..just pack some deodorant J
• Your office or cubicle wall is all you need for simple activities like stretches, vertical push-ups and leg lifts.  I have my elastic bands here with me so that I can do it too! 

TAKE A BREAK TODAY!!

November is National Adoption Month

Did you know that November is National Adoption month?  Well, I must admit that I had no clue about this month. If you said November to me I and I thought turkey and black Friday. But now as an adoptive parent it is such a huge part of my life and since I keep running into people who are clueless like I once was and who want to know more I'm going to give you the scoop so that you can be in the know!

Adoption Awareness Month is a nationwide campaign in November to encourage families throughout the United States to open their hearts and homes to children waiting to be adopted, the particular focus is the adoption of children currently in foster care. During the month there is Orphan Sunday which is a Sunday set aside for churches to engage their congregations and communities to hear God's call from the Bible to care for orphans. It's this Sunday, November 6th.  Then there is National Adoption Day which is a collective national effort Celebrated in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, to raise awareness of the 114,000 children in foster care waiting to find permanent, loving families. This year it's November 19th.  

For the last 11 years, National Adoption Day has made the dreams of thousands of children come true by working with courts, judges, attorneys, adoption professionals, child welfare agencies and advocates to finalize adoptions and find permanent, loving homes for children in foster care.  Foster care is supposed to be temporary. Unfortunately, as thousands of our country's children know. foster care sometimes lasts as long as childhood. Many foster children are legally free for adoption, but on average, nearly two-thirds have been in care more than two years, and only one in five will be adopted. There are thousands of children  that need a permanent home and loving family. If you've ever wanted to be a parent - to help children grow and develop to their fullest potential – this month is for you to learn more and consider adoption. Children of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities, are waiting for parents to make a difference in their lives. They are waiting on YOU!!

Here are a few facts:

• There are an estimated 408,425 children in foster care in the United States, and more than 107,000 of them are waiting to be adopted. 
• Through no fault of their own, these children enter foster care as a result of abuse, neglect and/or abandonment. 
• On average they wait for 3-5 years for a family
• The average age of children waiting for an adoptive family is 8. 
• Nearly 28,000 children reach the age of 18 without ever finding a forever family.
• Married couples, single females & single males can adopt

To find out more about adopting a child in the United States, please visit 

www.nationaladoptionday.org or call 1-800-ASK-DTFA.  And here in TX visit

http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Child_Protection/Adoption/ 

In an upcoming blog I will share with you my adoption story from foster care and how God orchestrated things so perfectly.  And how we continue to have divine appointments with other adoptive families and adopted adults who keep us inspired. Plus I will share ideas on how you can help even if adoption is not what you have been called to do.  You can still care for orphans in a very meaningful way!!  

McDonald's in California Has the Right Idea for Halloween: Free Apple Slices

Participating Southern California McDonald's restaurants will offer one free bag of apple slices to costumed customers under the age of 12 on Halloween. This one-day offer is available at participating McDonald's restaurants in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties from 4 to 7 p.m. on October 31.

In September, California was one of the first states to unveil the new Happy Meal which automatically includes Apple Slices (1/4 cup or 1/2 serving) and new smaller size French Fries (approximately 1.1 ounces) as a side to the choice of Chicken McNuggets®, a Hamburger, or Cheeseburger.  The meal also includes a choice of beverage in which 1% white milk or fat-free chocolate milk are options.  The new Happy Meal is now available at all Southern California McDonald's and nationwide by the first quarter of 2012.

The new Happy Meal aims to address a challenge kids face in meeting the recommended daily consumption of produce. The new Happy Meal is anticipated to introduce about 100 million cups of produce annually into the diets of McDonald's youngest customers.

The new Happy Meal is part of McDonald's USA "Commitment to Offer Improved Nutrition Choices", a comprehensive plan which aims to help customers–especially children and families – make nutrition-minded choices whether visiting McDonald's or eating elsewhere. In addition to adding a produce or low-fat dairy option to every Happy Meal, McDonald's will reduce added sugars, saturated fat and calories through varied portion sizes, reformulations and innovations by 2020.  Furthermore, the company will reduce sodium an average of 15 percent across its national menu of food choices by 2015.

Okay so apples are on top of the Environmental Working Group's list of Dirty Dozen for pesticides but hey, you've got to admit this is great news.

For more information about the new Happy Meal and McDonald's "Commitments to Offer Improved Nutrition Choices", visit www.McDonalds.com/changing.

5 Safety Tips to Avoid the Boo-Boos This Halloween

Halloween can be thrilling and fun, but also potentially dangerous. Pumpkin carving, costumes, unfamiliar homes, and young children traveling in darkness all provide possible scenarios for accidents and injuries.

  

A nine-year study examining holiday-related pediatric emergency room visits between 1997 and 2006 showed Halloween among the top three holidays for ER visits with finger/hand injuries accounting for the greatest proportion of injuries - mainly lacerations and fractures.  And ages 10-14 sustained most of these injuries.

 So here are  5 HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS:

1.     Safe Costumes: Costumes should be flame-resistant and fit properly. Costumes that are too long may cause kids to trip and fall, so trim or hem them as necessary. Be sure that your or your child's vision is not obstructed by masks, face paint or hats. Go ahead and make mask eye and breathing holes larger.  Wear sturdy, comfortable, slip-resistant shoes to avoid falls.  If you make your costume, use flame-resistant fabrics such as polyester or nylon. If you wear make up test it a few days before to rule out an allergic reaction. And those glow in the dark cat eyes? Well the FDA & Opthamologists are discouraging them because of the long term risks they pose.

2.     Be Bright at Night - Add reflective plastic tape to costumes and trick-or-treat bags to make yourself and your kids more visible. Also carry a flashlight (use fresh batteries!) to see and be seen – or a glow stick or little flashing decorations, at least.

3.     Have a Careful Contact Strategy – If your child doesn't carry an I.D., simply jot down name/ address/contact info, place it a small plastic zipper bag and slide it into a pocket.  A cell phone that has been preset with home and parent cell numbers in the phone adds another layer of protection.

4.     Protected Pumpkin Carving: In general, children should not carve pumpkins. However, some Halloween carving devices, designed especially for children, may be safe for use with parental supervision. Children also can empty the seeds out of the pumpkin, or use a pumpkin decorating sticker kit that does not involve carving to stay safely involved.

5.     Be Inspector Gadget: Inspect commercially wrapped treats for signs of tampering, such as an unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers. Throw away anything that looks suspicious or any chocking hazards for small children such as gum peanuts or hard candy.  It’s a good idea to eat a snack before heading out, so you won’t be tempted to nibble on treats that haven’t been inspected. And, hey why not lead by example and give out fun inspirational stickers and pencils rather than candy!

Have a fun safe time as you light the night!

Sources: The FDA, American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and  the American Chemistry Council

5 Easy Ways to De-stress Anytime Anywhere

STRESS – We all get it but how we manage it and deal with it is key, especially now that it is fall, we are headed in the fourth and final quarter of the year and the beginning of multiple holidays amidst school and fall sports, work deadlines, traffic, etc... It’s a busy time of year and that can mean stress.

            So the next time you are having a bad day try these 5 anytime, anywhere techniques that researchers have found to be effective de-stressors: 

1.     Give yourself a quick foot massage - it can have almost the same stress-lowering benefit as a full-body rubdown, according to Roberta Lee, MD, author of The SuperStress Solution. That means rubbing your toes, heel, ankle up to your calves. Easy to do in your office chair in the break room or in the car before you get out for that next meeting.

2.     Chew Gum -  According to research, chewing a stick of gum seems to reduce stress and anxiety, as well as improve mental performance during tasks. In one study, gum chewers report they were less stressed, less depressed and less likely to see a doctor for high blood pressure or high cholesterol. And they had fresh breath!

3.     Take a Deep Breath - No matter where you are, taking a deep whiff of lavender or rosemary can put you into a more relaxed state. Inhaling those aromas can lower your levels of the stress hormone cortisol. But just the act of breathing deeply is also a stress buster. Deep breathing sends oxygen surging through your bloodstream, helping to calm your entire body.

4.     Take a Walk - Exercise is a great way to ease stress. It helps your body produce endorphins -- the neurotransmitters in your brain that make you feel good. Exercising in warm, sunny weather can boost your mood.

HERE’S MY FAVORITE:

5.     Sing a Song - Turn up the radio in the car or start crooning in the shower. No matter how out of tune you are, singing can make you feel happier. Choral members who were surveyed said singing put them in a better mood and made them feel less stressed. Singing also can be good for your breathing and posture, as well as your heart and immune system.  

There you have it. FIVE easy any-time anywhere de-stressors.  This is a plan that will help turn those bad days around.  

Are You A Part of Generation ZERO?

Ever heard of Generation Zero?  Well, it is going to be the first generation of men free from prostate cancer.  With Zero prostate cancer deaths. Zero prostate cancer cases. Zero tolerance for prostate cancer.

September is National Prostate Awareness Month.  Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men.

ZERO — The Project to End Prostate Cancer, is committed to not only to reducing prostate cancer or alleviating the pain from the disease but to ending it.

So here’s the deal, every man has some level of risk for getting prostate cancer, yet many other factors make some men more susceptible to prostate cancer than others.

·      Age is the strongest risk factor for getting prostate cancer. But other risk factors include

·      Race

·      family history

·      diet and obesity

·      cholesterol

·      chemical exposure

·      genetics

·      exercise and

·      smoking. 

One in every six men gets prostate cancer at some point.  But the good news is that the survival rate is nearly 100 percent when prostate cancer is detected early.

So getting the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test  is key.

In general, men should begin testing for prostate cancer at age 45. If you have one ore more of the risk factors you should begin annual prostate cancer testing at age 40.

Prostate cancer doesn't show its face early on making it nearly impossible to detect in the early stages.

So men, before National Prostate Cancer Awareness month ends schedule your PSA test.  And women, encourage the men in your life to schedule their test.  

Visit www.zerocancer.org for more information.

Laugh Yourself Healthy

            

If you like to laugh as much as I do then you will be happy to know that new research has discovered that laughing with friends releases the feel-good brain chemicals and increases pain tolerance.

Laughter is regularly promoted as a source of health and well being, but it has been hard to pin down exactly why laughing until it hurts feels so good. Until now... Robin Dunbar, an evolutionary psychologist at Oxford, found that it is not the intellectual pleasure of cerebral humor, but the physical act of laughing that makes us feel good.  The simple muscular exertions involved in producing the familiar "ha, ha, ha," he said, trigger an increase in endorphins, the brain chemicals known for their feel-good effect.

The findings fit well with a growing sense that laughter contributes to group bonding and may have been important in the evolution of highly social humans.

The results, when analyzed, showed that laughing increased pain resistance, whereas simple good feeling in a group setting did not. Pain resistance is used as an indicator of endorphin levels

            So make your weekend better by not taking things too seriously.  Laugh a little, no laugh a lot and be contagious…falling out laughing! Laughter is the best medicine!

Are You Trusting BUT First?

Okay so you've got to admit that "But First" can really bring up some funny imagery - especially when we are talking about healthy and fitness.  But the reality is, when God tells us to trust Him completely there is no "if" "and" or "but" about it.  However, we tend to put a "but first" before we give it up to God.

Trusting God is easier said than done for those of us who like to be in control and know the plan and exactly when things are going to happen and when we will get results.  Not to mention when and if we do decide that we want to surrender and let God help us with our problems Satan starts to encourage impatience.  So we start to think I want God to act by a certain time or in a certain way.  We want it our way and we want it now.  We want to see instant changes.  That’s probably why we are so drawn to the 30 day plans or the quick weight loss programs that give us results that either won’t last or are not typical.

We say we trust God yet we take it to him and say “God help me, ‘but first’ I’m going to order this food plan”  or “but first I am going to take these weight loss supplements and drink this over priced miracle juice” or "but first I am going to try what my friend told me about" or “but first I have to figure out how it will fit into my budget and schedule”  and then we say we will give it to Him.  As if we want to help Him get started on our plan rather than being led by Him and following the word.

If we are truly trusting God, He does not want our ‘but first!’  He wants our complete surrender.  Proverbs 3:5 says trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean NOT on your own understanding.  Now if it said “some of your heart” or “most of your heart” and then went on to say and “use your own logic and understanding to start off then I will pick it up from there,” then we might be on the right track.  But that’s not what’s in there.  Check your Bible and tell me what you see too.

When we trust we can rest assured that he will not tempt us beyond what we can bear and will always give us a way out (1 Cor. 10:13).  We just have to look for it.  We can trust that He has a plan and will work out our schedule with out us having to know how or when (Jer 29:11).  We can trust that he loves us more than we love ourselves and wants what is best for us (1 John 4:9-10).  That if we delight ourselves in Him he will give us the desires of our heart (Psalms 37:3-4).

So our actions when trusting and surrendering are to acknowledge Him, delight in Him and Commit to Him.  No more ‘but firsts!’

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed – Proverbs 16:3

Back To School Game Plan

The wave of children heading back to school as begun along with football practice, cross country, piano lesson, etc. I don't know about you, but I am thrilled that we get to go back to a steady routine. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVED having my kids around all summer and the lack of schedule, but I appreciate God's wisdom in having us live life in seasons.  No one season lasts forever but it's there for us to enjoy then move on to the next.  So since we enjoyed summer, just wanted to share a "Back to School Game Plan" to help us help our kids have an incredible school year:

o   Pray for the School Year:  This can be the most amazing school year for your children if you give it to the Lord right from the start.  Create a prayer journal just for school related prayers and keep track of how God comes through as the year progresses.  Also, commit to praying in the car, before the kids catch the bus or before your homeschool session starts every morning.  

o   Plan and Prioritize: Purchase a family calendar and write down all school and extra curricular activities for the rest of the year.  Mark busy days and nights and think about what meals will work well on those days and set up your grocery list accordingly. Call family and friends ahead of time for the support you may need.

o   Connect Healthy Food to Great Grades:  Discuss the importance and connection between healthy eating and ability to focus and concentrate and get good grades. Check out www.laptoplunches.com for a few quick easy tips and ideas for lunch.  Purchase a stainless steel water bottle and set water drinking goals during the day. Hydration is especially important now in the heat.

o   Rest:  If you have started school, make sure that you are no longer keeping summer hours, even on the weekends.  Sleeping and waking come very easily when our bodies are in rhythm so get up early and get to bed on time on the weekends too, even if you have nowhere to go.  It will make Monday morning easier.  If you have not yet begun school start mimicking your school schedules a week or so before school starts.  See what time they naturally get up on their own and implement a set plan on how you intend to “settle down” for the night.

Have a Healthy & Happy School Year!!

Mandisa's Climbing Up the Charts and Down the Scale!

The day Mandisa was scheduled to go into the studio to record her hit single Stronger she was anything but strong. The former American Idol finalist knew she had been gradually re-gaining weight and when she stepped on the scale and found she had actually gained over 20 pounds she was devastated. In fact she did everything she could to try to cancel. But her producer refused to let her out of the session.
Little did Mandisa know that her own words would eventually renew her hope for the next phase of her journey.  The day the song was released in February 2011 she stepped on the scale and found that she had lost her 100^th pound!
Having climbed the charts to the number one spot and having shed 120 pounds (and counting), the GRAMMY® nominee has a goal of maintaining a healthy lifestyle for the rest of her life.
Mandisa recently shared with me about her “journey to 100” and how the changes she’s made to create a lifetime lifestyle resonate in her music.
Tonja Ward: Just how long has your weight been a concern?
Mandisa: I feel like it’s been something I have dealt with my entire life. My Dad moved away when I was 10 and I was molested around that age as well. That’s when I started picking up weight as kind of a coping mechanism.
TW: What was your initial concern about the weight? Appearance? Health?
M: When you are a kid, I don’t know if concerned is the word. Now I can say I am concerned just because of health reasons when you get older. But when you are a kid you just want a boyfriend.  I would say that I was insecure and it made me very unhappy. But it was all cosmetic back then.
That’s the difference between then and now. It is less about how I look because I have learned about true beauty and where it comes from and it is more about being healthy than anything else.
TW: When did you move from thinking about it and actually starting your journey?
M: It’s not as cut and dry as I’d like to say. It would be great if I could say that I started this journey on this date in two thousand- whatever. The fact is that because it has been a struggle my entire life, it has been a journey my entire life.  I’ve dieted and I’ve binged, and I have lost weight and I’ve gained weight.
It would be great if the Lord miraculously delivered me and I never was tempted with chocolate again, but I still think that is going to be my story. I think it’s going to be more like Paul where this is the thorn in my flesh. I am learning that it is because of this thorn that I have understood that God’s grace is sufficient and that His power is made perfect in my weakness.
TW: This is so helpful because we tend to expect for there to be an exact start date and from there you never turn back, but that’s just not real life.
M: No, in fact, I am just getting off a period a couple of days ago to be honest where I realized it’s very easy for me to slip back into my old ways unless I am constantly clinging to the Lord, really turning to Him to help me with my temptation. It’s very easy for me to go back into bingeing. It’s what I’ve done my entire life to deal with my emotions, in order to fill this void that’s been there from a very early age.
It’s very easy for me to go back and eat a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts in one sitting. I guess I never want to lose sight of how easy it would be for me to go back to where I was before.
I guess it’s helping me to understand every single day that I have to give this to the Lord.
TW: Sounds like you go by the “give me my daily bread” philosophy.
M: Absolutely.  You know I love those verses that talk about the Israelites that were in the valley and they could not collect enough manna for the next day and when they did that manna got rotten they had to collect it for that day and that day alone. So I believe that is such a lesson in scripture for us. Don’t look at yesterday, don’t look at tomorrow but just today ask for your daily bread and really depend on the Lord just today.
TW: So can you give us the secret to your weight loss and lifetime lifestyle?
M: I quote a lot of scripture when I am tempted. I do a lot of praying when I am tempted. That’s why I feel that I have gained much more than I have lost. Because of that I have an intimacy with the Lord more than I did before I started this journey. So I think a Spiritual part of the journey is very important.
I think most people know what is actually healthy for them. But I think what a lot of people don’t think about is the Spiritual part of this journey as well as the emotional part.
I work with a great Christian Counselor who has helped me to deal with some emotional issues that I have never dealt with before. I always stuffed down my emotions with food. Actually learning to deal with those has been a big part of the journey, I guess that would be a secret as well, to really focus on that.
And the other secret for me is not to diet.  The way to do that is to just adopt healthier eating habits and not to necessarily turn to the things that promise a quick weight loss. To find an eating plan that you can live with forever and not just temporarily to lose weight then going back to your old eating habits and gaining all the weight back.
TW: Are you still into ZUMBA®^® or what are you doing for your physical activity these days in addition to cutting a rug on stage?
M: I AM! I love ZUMBA®.  It has changed my life. Because I love dancing ZUMBA® has been amazing for me.  So I ZUMBA® as often as I can.  Whenever I am in town is when I try to go to my ZUMBA® classes.  I get cardio with ZUMBA®, and with my personal trainer, we do weight training which helps me to tone my muscles as well, which is just as important as the cardio is.
When I’m on the road, most hotels have a great work out room that I use the cardio equipment there, the treadmill and elliptical.  I also travel with my elastic bands so just in case they don’t have weights I can still get in my weight training there.
And when I am at home when I can’t get to ZUMBA®, I have an elliptical and a treadmill and lots of videos that I do to get my workout at home as well.

TW: You know, folks might argue that you can do that because you are Mandisa and they are regular people just trying to make it, what do you say?
M: There is always something we can do. You can always go walking in your neighborhood. That costs absolutely nothing.
We focus so much on health care reform. I really believe the prevention is a big part of health care reform. Because I think we would be preventing a lot of diseases if we focused on our health before we get those diseases. A lot of that is our lifestyle.
So I do believe that it’s a great investment.  And even if you’ve got no money whatsoever push-ups are free, squats are free and lunges are free and you can do all that at home.
The key is finding something that you actually enjoy or learn to enjoy.  Because I can’t say that I enjoyed exercise when I first started but I actually do now because my body craves it after a certain while.
TW: This album is full of anthems to our lives, so what was the inspiration behind Stronger?
M: For me, my inspiration is just knowing that if I walk the most difficult things in my life with the Lord one that he’ll get glory for Himself but that He’ll also bring me out stronger than when I went in. I love that the song has resonated with so many people and that they are seeing the same things in their own life.
No wonder Stronger was a #1 hit. My favorite song is Good Morning but I’ve got the entire What if We Were Real album downloaded in my iPod. You are amazing! God bless you as you tour. Thank you so much Mandisa for inspiring us with your life and your work.  

3 Memorial Day Activities to Start Your Healthy Summer

Memorial Day is a national holiday set aside to honor soldiers and commemorate those who died in military service.  Memorial Day, also unofficially marks the beginning of summer, and comes complete with cook-outs, family get-togethers, shopping and beach vacations.  The nice break we get with this holiday weekend also makes it an ideal time to jump back into some healthy behaviors as we pay respect to our American soldiers.

Here are 3 ways you can make your Memorial Day celebration healthier:

1.     Give a Military Salute – Honoring the brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day and those who paid he ultimate price for our freedom with their lives means having an attitude of gratitude.   Research over the last decade has continuously shown that grateful people are healthier.  Some of what the researchers discovered was that thankful people tend to have more energy, sleep more soundly and even have a higher resistance to viral infections. So showing your appreciation is good for your health.

2.     Add Color to the Grill – Grilling is not just for steaks, burgers, hotdogs and chicken.  Throw a colorful array of vegetables on the grill this weekend and enjoy the smoky goodness of summer vegetables. Asparagus, zucchini, summer squash, red onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, corn, etc. all are easy to grill, low in calories, filling and nutritious. Check out the quick and easy recipe below for an idea.

3.     Bust a Memorial Day Move – There is a lot to watch on Memorial Day from concerts and fireworks to the Indy 500, NBA Playoffs and the PGA Memorial Tournament.  When we do a lot of watching we are doing a lot of sitting. So make a plan to move. Since it’s getting hotter every day early morning or late evening will be ideal times to get out and go for a walk, bike ride or hit the gym. Or make your cook out active with a softball, kick ball or badminton game. If you plan to be inside then try a jump rope relay, a 60 second commercial break dance contest or pull out the Wii or X-box to play some active virtual games (and no that does not include the thumb moving kind).

Have a fantastic weekend and let us know how you are making your summer healthy.  Enjoy and bon appetite!

Green Grill Spears

4 small zucchini cut into spears lengthwise

1 bunch of thin asparagus spears

1 tbs olive oil

2 tbs balsamic vinegar

3 tbs lime juice

2 tsps dried oregano, crushed

1/4 tsp dried sage, crushed

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

2 tbs crumbles goat cheese

2 tsp pine nuts

o   Whisk olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl

o   Place vegetables in a sealable bag and pour marinade in. Coat all the vegetables in the marinade and set in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. 

o   Preheat grill and spray with cooking spray,

o   Remove vegetables from bag and place on grill. Reserve the remaining marinade to brush on vegetables as they are grilling.

o   Once vegetables are done (about 5 minutes) garnish with crumble goat cheese and pine nuts.

Enjoy your holiday and tune in Next Month when we will be doing a series called "But I Thought It Was Healthy!"