Greetings!

September is a month full of transitions. Our kids go back to school or college, we return to more of a routine schedule and we refocus on our priorities before the year is over. Maintaining our own health is something that can fall by the wayside as we help others around us and tend to our busy lives. What will it take for you to calm the chaos, reclaim your health and indulge in guilt-free self-care? Eat something healthy and delicious, come to a free workshop, join the group coaching program, whatever it may be, I encourage you to be your own best advocate for your health!

In great health,
Wendy

“No one can give you wiser advice than yourself.” – Cicero

Deconstructing Cravings

The body is an amazing source of intelligence. It is always there for you, pumping blood, never skipping a heartbeat, digesting whatever food you put in it, and maintaining homeostasis. Is this reliable, intelligent bio-computer making a mistake by craving ice cream, a hamburger or chocolate? Are cravings due to lack of will-power or discipline? I’d like to suggest that cravings are not a problem. They are critical pieces of information that tell you what your body needs.

The important thing is to understand why you crave what you crave. Perhaps your diet is too strict, devoid of essential nutrients. Perhaps you are living a lifestyle that is too boring or stressful. Your body tries to correct the imbalance by sending you a message: a craving. A craving for something sweet could mean you need more protein, more exercise, more water, or more love in your life. The key to stopping sugar cravings is to understand what your body really needs.

Your body knows best and is always trying to create balance. However, products like refined foods, sugar, caffeine, alcohol and drugs, which have little or no nutritional value, are confusing to the body. They throw it off balance and can create serious cravings, as your body tries to get what it needs to restore internal harmony. The more your food is whole and healthy, the easier it is for your body to stay in balance, giving you a happier, healthier life.

No book or theory can tell you what food is right for your body. Rather, you need to increase your awareness of your body and its unique needs. Of all the relationships in our life, the one with our body is most essential; it takes communication, love, and time to cultivate. As you learn to decipher and respond to your body’s cravings, you will create a deep lasting level of health and balance.

The next time you have a craving, treat it as a loving message from your body instead of as a weakness. Try these steps to respond to your body:

* First have a glass of water and wait ten minutes.
* Eat a healthier version of what you crave. For example, if you crave sweets, try eating more fruit and sweet or root vegetables.
* Determine what is out of balance in you life. Is there something you need to express, something being repressed? Think about what happened in your life just before you had this craving
* When you eat the food you are craving, enjoy it, taste it, savor it; notice its effects. This will help you be more aware and free to decide if you really want it next time.

Food Focus: Natural Sweeteners

Who among us doesn’t love sweets? The sweet flavor releases serotonin in our brains, the chemical responsible for our sense of well-being and contentment. But when it comes to sweeteners, not all are created equal. There are side effects and health risks from refined sweeteners like white table sugar and high fructose corn syrup, and from artificial sweeteners like NutraSweet, saccharin and Splenda. Because they have been stripped of vitamins, minerals and fiber, refined sweeteners can spike our blood sugar, which can lead to cravings, mood swings and energy fluctuations. Using natural, minimally processed sweeteners instead can reduce cravings for sugary things, even out blood sugar ups and downs, stabilize our moods and have a dramatically positive effect on our long-term health.

Here are a few natural sweeteners to substitute in drinks, on food and when baking. Since they are all approximately 1.5 times sweeter than refined sugar, you can use less. You can find them in most supermarkets or natural food stores. When replacing sugar with liquid sweeteners in a recipe, reduce the amounts of other liquids.

Raw Honey: Everyone seems to love honey, one of the oldest natural sweeteners on the market. Honey will have a different flavor depending on the plant source, some are very dark and intensely flavored. Wherever possible, choose raw honey, as it is unrefined and contains small amounts of enzymes, minerals, and vitamins.

Agave Nectar: Agave nectar is made through the extraction and purification of the juice of the agave cactus. It does not stimulate insulin secretion as other sugars do, so it does not create a “sugar rush.” It has a delightfully light and mild flavor.

Maple Syrup: Maple syrup is the concentrated extract of the sap of maple trees. It adds a rich, deep flavor to foods and drinks, Make sure to look for 100% pure maple syrup, not maple-flavored corn syrup. As with all sweeteners, organic varieties are best.

Recipe of the Month: Maple Fruit Compote w/Honey-Ginger Toasted Nuts Fruit Mix
Prep time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 20 minutes. Serves: 4.

Ingredients:
2-3 apples, 2-3 peaches or pears, 2 tablespoon maple syrup, 1/2 cup raisins, juice of 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 cup walnuts, or nuts of your choice, 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced, 2 tablespoons honey

Directions:

1. Wash, core and chop fruit into slices or chunks
2. Place in a large saucepan with 1/3 cup water. Add the maple syrup and raisins
3. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
4. Add lemon juice and cinnamon. Cook for another 10 minutes, until soft.
5. While fruit is cooking, place chopped nuts in a skillet over medium heat and toast, stirring often for 5 minutes.
6. Drizzle honey over the nuts and add ginger, but keep stirring since the honey can easily burn.
7. Top warm fruit with toasted nuts and enjoy!
Transform Your Health! Healthy Living 101 Starts September 27

Boundless energy. A fresh perspective. Feeling good about your health and well being. Who wouldn’t want that? Thinking about how you can achieve these for yourself?

Then you won’t want to miss Healthy Living 101 – get inspired and get healthy! Space is still available in the Healthy Living 101 group coaching program which begins Wednesday, September 27 and runs for six months. Why 6 months? To give you time to make sustainable, lasting health changes and become deliriously happy about being healthy. Join me and other interesting and motivated individuals for this interactive program. For more information, check out www.healthy-endeavors.com or call 203.641.0653.

Join Me for a Private Cooking Demonstration!

You’ve probably said this before . . .

“I’d eat more healthfully if I just had more time.” Do you know it’s possible to create healthy and delicious meals for and your family that require very little time in the kitchen?

Have me give you a private cooking demonstration that focuses on your unique lifestyle and nutritional needs, in the comfort of your own home. For more information call 203.641.0653.

Upcoming Events

Fall is around the corner, schools are back in session and it’s time to focus on your health. Join me at any or all of the following free upcoming events in the area:

Saturday, September 30 – Bally Total Fitness, 2380 Dixwell Avenue, Hamden, CT from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm. Do you know everything you need to, to be in optimal health? Join me as I discuss a range of different health topics including kicking sugar addictions, mindful eating and eating seasonally. Do self-assessments, sign up for a complimentary health consultation and learn something new!

Wednesday, October 4 – Mindful Eating, Mindful Health. New Haven Public Library, corner of Temple and Elm Streets, 5:30-7:00 p.m. Think you know the secrets to chewing and properly digesting your food? How would your dining experience be different if you ate without the distraction of the TV or telephone? What if you really tasted and enjoyed your food instead of hurriedly eating before rushing off to the next task? These and other issues will be explored in this interactive workshop designed to teach you how eating mindfully can impact your entire health.

Tuesday, October 17 – Sugar Blues: Kick Your Sugar Habit For Good!, New Haven Public Library, corner of Temple and Elms Streets, 5:30-7:00 pm. Are you addicted to sugar? Do you suffer the highs and lows of too much sugar in your diet? Do you routinely need an afternoon pick-me-up to give your energy? Learn simple techniques to steady your blood sugar and create lasting energy throughout the day!

And that’s now all . . . for the complete list of where to find Wendy, go to www.healthy-endeavors.com and click on the Resources page.

It’s such a pleasure to help those closest to us become happier and healthier. Please forward this newsletter to friends, family members or colleagues who might be interested and inspired by it.

Sincerely,

Wendy Battles
Healthy Endeavors

email: wendy@healthy-endeavors.com
web: http://www.healthy-endeavors.com

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