December, 2006 – Vol 1, Issue 5 
 
In This Issue
Beautiful Body Types
Food Focus
Recipe of the Month
Upcoming Events
 

Greetings!  

There’s nothing like the holidays to put me in a good mood. I love being able to connect with family and friends and share in the spirit of the holidays. It helps me remember what’s most important to me and the things for which I’m most grateful. It also provides a chance for me to relax and practice some much needed self-care. I hope you’ll take some time during this busy holiday season to nourish yourself whether by cooking, exercising, reading, reflecting or some other activity. Relax, enjoy and be healthy!

In great health,

Wendy
 

Thought of the Day . . . 
 
Don’t compromise yourself. You are all you’ve got.
- Janis Joplin
 
Beautiful Body Types
 
Almost all of us have a distorted image of our body, often due to the importance our culture places on outward appearance and the onslaught of media images of airbrushed models and celebrities. Daily, we talk to ourselves in ways we would never speak to another. Imagine speaking to a child the way you speak to yourself about your body. It would devastate and squelch a child, and it affects you similarly, causing stress and emotional pain in your body, which can make improving your health or losing weight even more difficult.

Our culture’s preferred body type shifts every decade or so, but whatever it is, it is usually unattainable without spending enormous amounts of time, energy and money. Think of all the intelligence, creativity and time you spend on improving, altering and judging your appearance. Who would you be and what could you accomplish if your valuable resources weren’t used this way? Constant emphasis on the external makes us discount the great presence and intelligence that is housed by the body. It makes us forget the magic of our internal rhythms and fail to acknowledge the beautiful bodies we have.

The body you have right now is incredible! It never misses a heartbeat, it maintains homeostasis, and it miraculously digests whatever you put in it. It is your instrument for expressing your creativity, intelligence and love. In focusing on the 1% you don’t like or wish was different, you may ignore the 99% about your body that is beautiful, unique and delightful.

What would your life be like if you were simply at peace with the body you have? You may wish to make your body healthier and stronger, but could you do that out of love and respect for your body, instead of the opposite? Could you begin to treat yourself with kindness, to limit the negative self-talk, and to reconnect with your inner wisdom? Take a minute to imagine what that would feel like. It would mean celebrating your body, rather than punishing it, nourishing your body, rather than depriving it. It would mean a chance to watch your body flourish just like a child flourishes with care and respect.
 

Food Focus: Sweet Potatoes
 
Sweet potatoes are on everyone’s mind this season. They seem to go hand-in-hand with the holidays, but eating these and other sweet vegetables needn’t be limited to this time of year. Cravings for sweets can be greatly reduced by adding sweet vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, yams, parsnips, beets, squash, turnips and rutabagas, to your daily diet.

Sweet potatoes elevate blood sugar gently, rather than with the jolt delivered by simple refined carbohydrates, so there’s no energy crash after you eat them. Much higher in nutrients than white potatoes and especially rich in vitamin A, sweet potatoes offer a creamy consistency that is satisfying and soothing. They are healing to the stomach, spleen, pancreas and reproductive organs and help to remove toxins from the body. They can increase the quantity of milk in lactating women and can lessen cramps and pre-menstrual symptoms. If you don’t have any sweet potatoes in your kitchen, go out and buy some (organic and local if possible) and make the recipe below.
 

Recipe of the Month: Sweet Potatoes with Lime and Cilantro
 
This recipe is an eye-opener for those who find sweet potatoes cloyingly sweet or who are tired of eating them smothered in marshmallows and brown sugar. Japanese sweet potatoes, with their pale flesh and delicate flavor, are a treat if you can find them.
 

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30-40 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:

4 sweet potatoes
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
2-3 limes
butter and salt, optional
Directions:

1.   Wash the sweet potatoes and bake them whole, in their skins, at 375 until tender.

2.   Wash and chop cilantro leaves.

3.   When sweet potatoes are done, slit open the skin and place on serving plate. Season with salt and dots of butter, if you like, then squeeze fresh lime juice all over, and shower with cilantro leaves.
 

Upcoming Events

Monday, January 8 – 1:00 pm, Sugar Blues Workshop for AARP Members, Hamden Senior Center, Hamden, CT
Who doesn’t want to get healthy after the holidays? Join me for an interactive workshop to help seniors learn how to identify and overcome sugar cravings.  Doughnuts, cookies and cake be gone! We’ll be discussing lots of healthy, nutrient-rich options that can tackle even the worst of sugar cravings!

Thursday, January 18 – 7:45 am, Southern Connecticut Exchange Networking Group, Stamford, CT
Are you sick of making resolutions that never seem to last beyond the first month? Join me for an interactive discussion of strategies to help you stay on track and make lasting changes. For more information, call 203-641-0653.
 

It’s Never Too Late …

…to practice guilt-free self-care, juicy living and great health beyond your wildest expectations! Start the new year off right by investing in yourself. Schedule a complimentary health consultation with me and I’ll help you on the road to long-lasting, positive health changes that will leave you energized, inspired and in top form. Call me at 203.641.0653 today to set up your consultation for the new year. And don’t let distance be a factor…I work with clients across the country on the phone as well as in-person.

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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