Learn Your Stress Number

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:03:42 -0700

The Oxygen Plan Corporation has introduced a new health metric – The Stress Number™, after 29,000 respondents have completed the 30-question The Oxygen Plan Stress Test. To assess individual stress, the test asks 10 questions each for home, work, and social life. The scoring for each question ranges from 0 - 100, whereby a score of 0 means extreme stress (red), to 100, meaning stress free (green).

Key Findings:
People are more stressed by their home lives than either their work or social lives. Over the past year, the average Stress Number™ for home life (47) fell below the Stress Number™ for social life (53), and work life(52). One in 5 Americans is living with extreme stress at home –– with a Stress Number™ less than 33. Meanwhile 14% are experiencing extreme stress at work and 9% are experiencing extreme stress in their social lives. Only 20%, 18% and 12% of people are living stress free, in the green, at work, social and home respectively.

Try the test yourself.

Overcoming Gym Phobia

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 14:59:48 -0700

In an article in the Huffington Post, Judith J. Wurtman, PhD, listed these eight reasons people fear going to the gym to work out:
1. Embarrassment.
2. Fear of looking stupid in an exercise class.
3. Inability to figure out how to work exercise machines or even which way to sit on some weight machines.
4. Excessive sweating and redness.
5. Belief they will fail.
6. Memories of exercise used as punishment.
7. Being teased, or worse, when failing at a team sport when young.
8. Being labeled clumsy, slow, or uncoordinated when young.

Interestingly, Wurtman does not suggest that gym-phobes draw from within themselves to overcome these obstacles; instead, she asserts that professionals offer help to those with these issues:
“Overcoming these obstacles to exercise often requires dealing with the head as much as the muscles. When there are psychological reasons for exercise avoidance, help must come from someone trained to deal with emotional, and not exercise, issues.”

What do you think? Can people get past these obstacles on their own, or do they need help?

A Graphic, Interactive Take on Being Healthy

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:52:27 -0700

The site 101 Revolutionary Ways to Be Healthy presents those ways in a graphically striking fashion. As you mouseover each rectangle representing the “ways,” you'll see further explanation.

Or, you can toggle to the printable version.

Here are the top 10 ways:

Two Low-Carb Variations on Recipes for Zucchini Baked Goods

Sun, 20 Mar 2011 14:27:57 -0700

Original Zucchini Brownie Recipe: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/zucchini-brownies/Detail.aspx

Low-carb adaptations:
• Splenda instead of sugar (even though Splenda and sugar are supposed to be cup-for-cup equivalents, I find that using an equivalent amount of Splenda isn't sweet enough, so I use TWICE as much Splenda; you may be satisfied with a less sweet version).
• Low-carb baking mix instead of flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)

I also omit the salt from the recipe as I find the brownies too salty with salt added.

Original recipe includes icing, which I don't make.

Optional: Add low-carb chocolate chips to the top.

Variation: Put batter into muffin tins and make brownie muffins [pictured].

Original Zucchini Cookie Recipe:
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/zucchini-nut-bread-cookie-sandwiches

The really decadent part of the recipe is the cream-cheese filling. I felt that using it as a filling was a bit much and would just be too rich. I made a half batch of the filling and used it as a “frosting” on some of the cookies. You don’t have to make it at all, of course.

Other healthy tweaks:
• Use low-carb baking mix (Bob’s Red Mill) instead of flour.
• Use Splenda instead of sugar.
• Use Splenda brown sugar instead of regular brown sugar (I believe the Splenda type does have some sugar in it).
• Use pecans instead of walnuts (personal preference more than health)
• Use Splenda instead of sugar (and no butter) in the filling/frosting.

To make cookies even more healtful, try decreasing or eliminating the butter – using oil, additional zucchini, or applesauce.

Does Infrastructure Affect Health?

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:24:08 -0700

PBS offers a podcast in conjunction with Blueprint America, PBS’s infrastructure reporting project, on whether infrastructure has a direct impact on our health, the subject of an emerging school of thought among urban planners.

Says the podcast's site:
For example, Americans spend an average of 46 minutes a day commuting to and from work by car. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have concluded that replacing a quarter of that time with moderate exercise — i.e. walking instead of driving — can reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and even some cancers. But too many American communities don’t give residents the option to do anything but drive, according to Amanda Thompson. She’s Director of Planning for the City of Decatur, Ga., and she’s trying to do something about the problem by making it easier for residents of the city to walk and ride their bikes. It isn’t an easy change to make, she says, but she thinks that once Americans understand the benefits, they’ll clamor for a built environment that’s also a healthier environment.

Listen to the podcast here.

Homemade Ranch Salad Dressing with No Sugars or Preservatives

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 14:20:18 -0700

by Randall S. Hansen. Ph.D.

Don’t buy salad dressing at the grocery store! Here’s a wonderfully simple and natural recipe for tasty buttermilk ranch salad dressing with no sugars or preservatives.

What follows is a very easy recipe for making the best all-natural buttermilk ranch dressing – with no added sugars, preservatives, or other ingredients. It takes about 5-10 minutes to prepare and is ready for use or can be chilled for later use. I suggest placing the dressing in several mason jars and/or reuse the mayonnaise container.

Ingredients
• 1 jar of 32 oz. mayonnaise
• 2 1/2 cups of low-fat buttermilk
• 3 teaspoons of minced dried onion
• 10 tablespoons of dried parsley
• 5 teaspoons of Garlic Gold (or five small cloves of garlic, minced, with 1 tablespoon of olive oil)
• 1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Table Blend and/or salt and pepper

Directions
Put all the ingredients in a bowl, starting with the mayonnaise and buttermilk, and blend together with a whisk. Ladle into vessels and refrigerate.

Four Quadrant Living Means Nurturing Mind, Body, Relationships, and Environmental Harmony

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 14:17:04 -0800

Four Quadrant Living focuses on “nourishing our minds and bodies, actively managing our relationships, and living in harmony with the environment. All four of the quadrants play an essential role in our health and wellness.”

Consultant, writer, and health/wellness educator Dina Colman, MBA, founded Four Quadrant Living in 2010 “to inspire others to insist on health in their lives.” Says Coleman: “We create health in our lives by being mindful of the food we eat, listening to our bodies when we need rest, actively managing our relationships, and living in harmony with the environment.”

The site offers articles on all four quadrants, as well as a newsletter.

Yoga is a Terrific Mood Enhancer

Tue, 8 Mar 2011 14:15:21 -0800

My two favorite forms of winter exercise are walking and yoga (in the spring, I prefer bicycling), so I was interested in a study reported in AARP Magazine (registration may be required) in which yoga was found to have an antidepressant-like effect on the brain; the practice elevates levels of a neurotransmitter called GABA.

The study found yoga to be more effective than walking as a mood booster. Study subjects did an hour of yoga three times a week for 12 weeks.

Eating Local is Dicey But Still Possible in the Winter

Sat, 5 Mar 2011 14:12:13 -0800

Spring is coming, but spring produce is still a ways off. The Wall Street Journal recently ran an article about community-supported agriculture programs (or CSAs; read more about them) that function in the winter. The idea was to test whether the produce delivered by these programs is actually local and organic (not all CSAs claim to offer totally organic food). Article author Kimberly Chou tested CSAs in four cities.

Chou found varying degrees of quality – including lettuce that had to be discarded. Not all produce was local, and in some cases, information wasn't provided on where the food came from.

The services Chou tested offer some interesting twists on CSAs – such as taking back unused produce, either to give to food banks or use as compost.

Still given that some of the CSA produce was local, CSAs are worth considering for those who want to continue eating local in the winter.

6 Health Tips on Which There's No Disagreement

Wed, 2 Mar 2011 14:09:11 -0800

Glamour magazine recently published a list of six health tips that experts all agree on:

• Don’t smoke – even occasionally.
• Move for 30+ minutes most days.
• Stress less and relax more.
• Sleep seven-plus hours a night.
• Take a multivitamin every day.
• Consume 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily.

Sanctuary Blog Re-Launches!

Tue, 1 Mar 2011 12:10:24 -0800

Well, we’ve taken a long hiatus, but now we’re back. Look for posts about health, wellness, fitness, nutrition, spirituality, balance, serenity, environment, and parks roughly every three days.

New Blog Looks at Walking

Wed, 1 Sep 2010 11:24:02 -0700

A new blog, WalkAboutU, by our friend Nancy Miller (pictured), is about walking, sharing ideas, thinking about, listening to, inspiration. and accountability. Check it out!

More Advice for Would-Be CSA Subscribers

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 20:22:31 -0700

This entry is part of a 14-part series. You can read all 14 in the full article, 14 Points to Keep in Mind if You're Considering Subscribing to a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program. Also read Why Subscribe to a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program?

CSA subscribers and organizers added more suggestions for those considering subscribing to a CSA:
• “Be prepared to eat what you get in the quantity you get it. Be prepared to be creative with using what you get.” – Tracie Smith
• “Ask for a produce plan, ask for years in business, ask for references check it out as you would any other provider for your home and family.” – Kate Zurschmeide
• “Ask others which CSA they recommend and what the CSA offers.” – Sandra Marquardt, who coordinates the CSA drop to her community through Calvert Farm in Cecil County, MD
• “Know yourself and your eating habits. Are you adventurous enough to experiment with foods you've never tried before? Are you willing to cook and eat at home? I think everyone should try it for three months just for the experience.” – Tonya Kubo
• “Go with the little guy. After all, you are not really supporting your community at all if the food is coming from the other side of the country. Look at the stickers. Ask your farmer where it was grown. Get the best bang for your buck. Make sure it's really local.” – Katie Bezrouch
• “Research your options thoroughly. If you can find a place that delivers and accepts half-shares, go for it if it's easier. Our CSA only takes new subscriptions during a brief window in May, so be in touch with your farm as soon as you know you want to join to figure out if they have timing restrictions around new subscribers and when to get your name on their wait list or contact list. – Amy Potthast

And see our chart, Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) Programs At a Glance, a quick and easy-to-read infographic that highlights key aspects to consider when subscribing to a local Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program.

Some Produce Will Come from Outside CSA

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:18:12 -0700

Be Sure CSA Produce is Local

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 20:08:27 -0700