Emotional stress busters

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), stress is “a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives.” It’s not always negative but can be positive and motivate you to get things done. Emotional stress refers to stressors and situations that evoke an emotional response, such as sadness, anger, worry and fear. Common to everyone at one time or another, when the stressor underlying the emotion interferes with daily activities, it can be problematic. Here are three simple tips for helping you manage emotional stress.

• Take action on tomorrow’s worries: If you find yourself getting stuck in “what if” thinking, take action. Consider writing down all the ‘what if’ worries and topics that are of concern, then add what you would do if if the each comes to pass. Writing down worries helps to ease them while providing you with a practical action plan.
• Reflect: Take 5 minutes to reflect on your life. What are you proud of? What has been your best achievement? What gives you joy? Purposefully thinking good thoughts, reflecting on the positive improves mood and outlook. 
• Smile: Reflect on your week and write down 3 things that have made you smile. Keep in mind that it takes nearly 50 muscles to frown and less than 15 to smile. 

Healthy Chocolate Pudding Recipe

Healthy Chocolate Pudding Recipe

Made with Greek yogurt

Make delicious chocolate pudding with 4 simple ingredients (serves 4): 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder (or Dutch process) not regular, 2 cups full-fat Greek yogurt, 3 TB pure maple syrup, 1 tsp pure vanilla.

Use a whisk to stir the cocoa powder and remove lumps. Then mix everything together in another bowl. The mixture will be very thick at first and ‘powdery.’ As you stir and incorporate the cocoa powder into the yogurt it will become smooth. Adjust ingredients to your taste (amount of liquid if very thick, cocoa powder for chocolate flavor, maple syrup for sweetness).

Nutrition Facts (per serving without revisions to above): 185 calories, 6 g fat, 21 g carbohydrate, 12 G protein

5 Tips for eating more vegetables this summer

Vegetables are essential for optimal health. Whether you grow your own, browse the farm stand or simply buy them at the grocery store, get creative. Those who eat a wide variety of vegetables daily enjoy health benefits such as lower BMIs and better gut health.

1. Buy a veggie noodle maker for zucchini or buy veggie noodles. Find them in the freezer section at the grocery store (carrot, beet).
2. Grill them – try bell peppers, onions, mushrooms and pineapples on skewers.
3. Have a green smoothie for breakfast. Frozen bananas, apples, leafy greens, Greek yogurt, a bit of honey and squeeze of lemon work well together.
4. Whether you make homemade pizza or buy frozen, add extra sliced/diced veggies as a topping before putting in the oven.
5. Throw some romaine lettuce hearts on the grill with your chicken or burgers for a charred salad.