WellnessWorks - Amazon Web Servicesuba-ebc.portals.s3.amazonaws.com/106444_2018 August... ·...
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Wellness Works UBA SM The Richards Group | 48 Harris Place P.O. Box 820, Brattleboro, VT 05301 | www.therichardsgrp.com/benefits.html Stress and Food Everyone has their own way of dealing with stressful, frightening, or otherwise unpleasant feelings. Some people may run ten miles to let off steam. Others might meditate or do yoga. Some people just like to talk things through with someone they trust. But for many people, food is the first thing they reach for when overwhelmed with negative emotion. It's called emotional, or stress, eating. And if you're trying to maintain a healthy weight or lose some pounds, stress eating is not what you want to be doing. The fact that stress eaters typically crave the most unhealthy, fattening foods just adds to the challenge. These foods actually make the reward center in the brain light up, causing unwanted feelings to be relieved. Until those feelings come back, of course. And, because we're human and because life is stressful sometimes, those feelings will inevitably come back. And so the cycle of stress eating continues. The good news? There are ways to conquer stress eating. Identifying your feelings, looking for patterns in what triggers you, and learning ways to cope with and alleviate stress in your life will all help break the cycle. In this newsletter, we'll take a look at stress eating and stress management. We hope it's helpful to you or someone you care about. QuickTakes August 2018 Tips and tricks to help you stress less Stress. We all feel it. We all complain about it. And we probably just accept it as being the price we pay for living in today's hectic world. While it's true that stress is probably unavoidable – whether it's caused by a traffic jam or a bigger challenge like a job loss or a chronic illness – it's also true that you can learn to deal with stress in a more healthy way. And that's important, because stress can wreak havoc on your health. The longer you're under stress, the worse it is for your physical well-being. Here are some things to try to help you manage stress. • One of the first things you should do to manage stress is figure out what it is that stresses you out. Then, reflect on how your own behaviors or attitudes might be contributing to your stress. It might help to keep track of your stressors, how they make you feel, and what you did about them. You might begin to see patterns. • Look at your stressors and ask yourself which of them you might be able to do away with. Is there constantly too much on your plate because you can't say no? Do you stay at a job that's eating away at you instead of looking for something new? If you have media overload, can you hit the “off” button? • Take care of yourself. Try to stick with a healthy diet, get some exercise, and get enough sleep. • Listen to yourself. If you tend to be negative, try to reframe your thoughts to be more positive. For instance, instead of “I'm so stupid! I can't believe I'm overdrawn at the bank,” say “I made a mistake. I'll keep better track next time.” • Don't try to be perfect. Setting yourself up to meet unrealistic expectations does you no good.
Transcript of WellnessWorks - Amazon Web Servicesuba-ebc.portals.s3.amazonaws.com/106444_2018 August... ·...
WellnessWorksUBA SM
The Richards Group | 48 Harris Place P.O. Box 820, Brattleboro, VT 05301 | www.therichardsgrp.com/benefits.html
Stress and Food
Everyone has their own way ofdealing with stressful, frightening,or otherwise unpleasant feelings.Some people may run ten miles tolet off steam. Others might meditateor do yoga. Some people just like totalk things through with someonethey trust.
But for many people, food is the firstthing they reach for whenoverwhelmed with negativeemotion. It's called emotional, orstress, eating. And if you're trying tomaintain a healthy weight or losesome pounds, stress eating is notwhat you want to be doing. The factthat stress eaters typically crave themost unhealthy, fattening foods justadds to the challenge. These foodsactually make the reward center inthe brain light up, causing unwantedfeelings to be relieved.
Until those feelings come back, ofcourse. And, because we're humanand because life is stressfulsometimes, those feelings willinevitably come back. And so thecycle of stress eating continues.
The good news? There are ways toconquer stress eating. Identifyingyour feelings, looking for patterns inwhat triggers you, and learning waysto cope with and alleviate stress inyour life will all help break the cycle.In this newsletter, we'll take a lookat stress eating and stressmanagement. We hope it's helpfulto you or someone you care about.
QuickTakes
August 2018
Tips and tricks to help you stresslessStress. We all feel it. We all complain about it.And we probably just accept it as being the pricewe pay for living in today's hectic world.
While it's true that stress is probably unavoidable –whether it's caused by a traffic jam or a biggerchallenge like a job loss or a chronic illness – it's alsotrue that you can learn to deal with stress in a morehealthy way. And that's important, because stresscan wreak havoc on your health. The longer you'reunder stress, the worse it is for your physicalwell-being. Here are some things to try to help youmanage stress.
• One of the first things you should do to managestress is figure out what it is that stresses youout. Then, reflect on how your own behaviorsor attitudes might be contributing to yourstress. It might help to keep track of yourstressors, how they make you feel, and whatyou did about them. You might begin to seepatterns.
• Look at your stressors and ask yourself which ofthem you might be able to do away with. Isthere constantly too much on your platebecause you can't say no? Do you stay at a jobthat's eating away at you instead of looking forsomething new? If you have media overload,can you hit the “off” button?
• Take care of yourself. Try to stick with a healthydiet, get some exercise, and get enough sleep.
• Listen to yourself. If you tend to be negative, tryto reframe your thoughts to be more positive.For instance, instead of “I'm so stupid! I can'tbelieve I'm overdrawn at the bank,” say “I madea mistake. I'll keep better track next time.”
• Don't try to be perfect. Setting yourself up tomeet unrealistic expectations does you no good.
WellnessWorksUBA SM
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
215 Calories3 g Protein3 g Fat1 g Saturated fat47 g Carbohydrates2 g Cholesterol4 g Dietary fiber76 mg Sodium
DIRECTIONS
1. Peel and cut bananas in half lengthwise. Melt margarine ina nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add brown sugarand lay the banana slices on top, cut side up. Cookundisturbed for 20 seconds.
2. Add orange juice and cinnamon. Cook for 10 seconds, thenturn bananas carefully and cook for 45 to 60 seconds more,basting with the pan sauce.
3. Divide the bananas between two dessert plates, drizzlingthe sauce on top. Serve immediately, with a dollop offat-free frozen yogurt.
INGREDIENTS
2 medium, firm bananas, peeled, cut lengthwise1/2 tablespoon trans-fat-free margarine1 tablespoon light brown sugar1/4 cup orange juice1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/2 cup fat-free frozen yogurt
Bananas a la orange Makes 2 servings
Some stress quick fixes
Dealing with stress as a big-picture life issue is one thing. Making the kinds of changes listed above will take time.But on a day-to-day basis, you can learn to focus on some of life's simple pleasures and give yourself a little timeto enjoy them. Some ideas:
• Take deep breaths in and out. Feel your body start to relax.
• Get up and walk around — even if it's just moving from one room to another, it'll give you a needed break.
• Ask for a hug from a friend or loved one when you need it. Or pet a dog or cat. Small moments of connectioncan help.
• Listen to some favorite music, sing, or play an instrument.
• Take a bath. Don't forget the bubbles and soothing essential oils.
• Spend some time in nature.
• Consider taking up yoga or meditation.
• Laugh! Whether you're laughing at a comedian on TV, your cat's antics, or even yourself, laughter is a naturalstress-buster.
Do a little experimenting. See what methods work for you. And then practice them. You may be surprised howthese strategies can lessen the grip stress has on your life.
Sources:
American Psychological Association. Managing stress for a healthy family. http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/managing-stress.aspx Accessed 6/11/18
American Psychological Association. How stress affects your health. http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress.aspx Accessed 6/11/18
American Heart Association. Three tips to manage stress. https://healthyforgood.heart.org/be-well/articles/3-tips-to-manage-stressAccessed 6/11/18
This is a sweet but nutritious low-fat dessert! Makesure not to leave bananas in the pan too long, orthey may not be firm in the center.
