November 2006 – Vol 1, Issue 4
 
In This Issue
 
Chewing
Food Focus: Brown Rice
Recipe of the Month: Brown Basmati Pilaf
Upcoming Events!
Special Offer: Staying Healthy During the Holidays, One Month Special!
 
 
There’s nothing better than lovely fall days, crisp weather and the beauty of the fall harvest. With the holidays just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the many things we have for which we’re grateful, including our health.

What better a time to think about not only the delicious food we plan to eat in coming weeks but also the whole experience of eating. Did you know that we actually start to digest our food while we’re chewing it? Read on and learn more interesting information about chewing and mindful eating, as well as the skinny on brown rice. Enjoy!

In great health,

Wendy

I have made it a rule to give every tooth of mine a chance, and when I eat, to chew every bite thirty- two times. To this rule I owe much of my success in life.
- William Gladstone
 
 
Chewing
 
When it comes to increased health, it’s not just what we eat, but how we eat. Digestion actually begins in the mouth, where contact with our teeth and digestive enzymes in our saliva break down food. But these days most of us rush through the whole eating experience, barely acknowledging what we’re putting in our mouths. We eat while distracted—working, reading, talking, and watching television—and swallow our food practically whole. On average we chew each bite only eight times. It’s no wonder that many people have digestive problems.

There are many great reasons to slow down and chew your food. Saliva breaks down food into simple sugars, creating a sweet taste. The more we chew, the sweeter our food becomes, so we don’t crave those after-meal sweets. Chewing reduces digestive distress and improves assimilation, allowing our bodies to absorb maximum nutrition from each bite of food. More chewing produces more endorphins, the brain chemicals responsible for creating good feelings. It’s also helpful for weight loss, because when we are chewing well, we are more able to feel when we are full. In fact, chewing can promote healing and circulation, enhance immunity, increase energy and endurance, improve skin health and stabilize weight.

The power of chewing is so great that there are stories of concentration camp survivors who made it through their ordeals, when others did not, by chewing their meager rations up to 300 times per bite of food. For most of us 300 chews is a daunting and unrealistic goal. However, you can experience the benefits of chewing by increasing to 30 chews per bite. Try it and see how you feel.

Taking time with our meal, beginning with chewing, allows us to enjoy the whole experience of eating: the smells, flavors and textures. It helps us to give thanks, to show appreciation for the abundance in our lives and to develop patience and self-control. Try eating without the TV, computer, newspaper, or noisy company. Instead just pay attention to the food and to how you are breathing and chewing.

This kind of quiet can be confronting at first, since we are used to a steady stream of advertising, news, media, email, and demands from others. But as you create a new habit, you will begin to appreciate eating without rushing. You have to eat every day— why not learn to savor and enjoy it?
 
 
Food Focus: Brown Rice
 
Brown rice, with its sweet nutty flavor, provides four times the amount of insoluble fiber found in white rice because it is a whole grain that has not been stripped of its natural bran covering. It contains an impressive amount of vitamins and minerals such as concentrated B vitamins (which helps nervous systems and mental depression), niacin, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, and even some vitamin E. This whole grain also contains a small amount of high-quality protein in the form of the amino acid Lysine, which helps boost the body’s ability to fight viruses, especially those that cause cold sores.

In each grain of brown rice exists a matrix of whole, unrefined energy and nutrition. It is a complex carbohydrate and therefore burns slowly in your body, providing a steady stream of long lasting energy while increasing your brain’s levels of serotonin, the chemical responsible for the feeling of well-being. Those who consistently eat brown rice report steady energy and an overall feeling of calm and balance in their daily lives.

For brown rice and whole grains in general, the majority of digestion occurs in the mouth through chewing and exposure to saliva. For optimal nutrition and assimilation, it is vital to chew your rice well and with awareness. A great meditation is to find a calm place, without distractions, to sit down for your meal. Make it a habit to chew each bite 20 times or more. See how this simple practice can help your digestion and overall focus for the rest of your day.

Recipe of the Month: Brown Basmati Pilaf
 
Prep time: 3 minutes
Cooking time: 30-40 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 cup brown basmati rice
2 cups of water
1/2 cup of dried cranberries
1/2 cup of walnut pieces
1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsleybr> pinch of salt
Directions:

Rinse rice in fine mesh strainer till water runs clear.
Boil the water and add rice and salt, cover and reduce heat.
After 15 minutes add cranberries and walnuts to top, do not stir.
Cook 15-25 minutes more, until all the liquid is absorbed.
Remove from heat, add parsley and fluff with fork, cover and let set for 3-5 minutes and serve.
 
 
Upcoming Events!
 
Friday, November 10, 2006: Oasis in the Overwhelm
Gaylord Hospital – Wallingford, CT

United Way of Connecticut is holding its fall retreat and part of the agenda is learning how to de-stress! Participants will learn four, easy to use strategies to relieve tension, increase energy and create calm.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006: Common Ground HS, New Haven, CT
Think high school students can’t be healthy and find things they enjoy eating? Think again! In this ongoing workshop series, I’ll be working with a variety of students on developing nutritious snacks and eating habits that provide lasting energy.

Wednesday, December 6, 2006: Housatonic Community College
Sugar Blues/Staying Healthy During the Holidays Workshop
Bridgeport, CT – 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
This workshop is designed for faculty, students and staff to learn about kicking sugar addictions and how to stay healthy during the holidays. A fun, interactive workshop that you won’t want to miss!
 

Special Offer: Staying Healthy During the Holidays, One Month Special!
 
Do you routinely overeat during the holidays? Who doesn’t love indulging in the many tempting treats you find at holiday parties and celebrations? Instead of gaining extra pounds and feeling guilty, take advantage of the special offer I’m running through December 9. Two personal sessions with me to create a customized eating plan to keep you healthy during the holidays as well as many other helpful tips and resources to boost your immune system and keep you in top shape. A $200 program for only $150! For more information, call me at 203.641.0653 or email: wendy@healthy-endeavors.com
 
 
Forward to a Friend
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
 

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