Our world is constantly filled with every day stressors that can wreck havoc on your health. Whether it's working in a highly competitive job, or telling your child 'no' for the hundredth time, we all know what stress feels like. A little tightness in the shoulders, leading up to a pounding headache. And now it's 2 o'clock in the morning and you are wide awake, thinking about every thing you have to accomplish that day.
While stress does have some importance in our life, it is important to have a routine to minimize negative stress (distress) as much as possible. Or rather, trying to switch our state of distress to one of eustress, simply by changing the response we have to certain stressors. The reason it is so important to reduce this type of stress is because of the detrimental effects it has on your health. Stress raises level of cortisol in the body, which directly impacts an increase of fat; leading to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Is it worth putting ourselves in stressful situations when we know it can literally take years off our lives? I think not. So what can we do to help alleviate stress and transfer it into positive energy? I :like to follow the '4 A's' of stress management:
Each tactic can be used in different situations.
What a better way to practice stress management than finding ideal relaxation methods! By scheduling time every day to relax, you are increasing the likelihood of having a positive reaction when stress does occur. I try to find time every morning to do one of the following:
Think about a time that you felt stressful and have used one of the 4 A's of stress management. I want to hear how you overcame that situation! What are some ways you like to relax?
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Every fall, I get a craving for pumpkin. And well, who doesn't? Now that it's November, fall is in full force. Pumpkin coffee, pumpkin beer, and pumpkin cookies galore!
Since teaching cooking classes, I have become a lot more aware of different food allergies. I have numerous students with nut, dairy and gluten allergies,. This means I always have to be on the lookout for possible allergens, and ways to eliminate them in the classroom.. But fear not, even if you have allergies you can still indulge in these pumpkin cookies! This recipe, like most I make, is easily adaptable for food allergies. This is one of my favorite recipes for dairy free tasters, as the pumpkin can act as a binder rather than an egg. I also swap butter for coconut oil, which gives these cookies a slight coconut taste as well. I have completely rid my life of white sugar, however I LOVE maple syrup. It is slightly lower on the glycemic index, meaning it won't elevate your blood sugar as much as white sugar. Sugar is still sugar however, which is why I limit my recipes to 1/2 cup, while most recipes call for an entire cup of sugar. While not the healthiest things in the world I still feel less guilty eating one or maybe three cookies. If you choose to use dairy free chocolate chips the entire recipe is dairy free, otherwise you can omit the chocolate chips. Adding the flaxseed meal gives you a little boost of fiber and healthy fats while slightly thickening the texture. These cookies came out slightly crispy on the bottom and soft and chewy on the inside, just the way I like them! |
JennaDedicated to helping you realize your full potential. Spreading smiles and love everywhere I go. Archives
September 2016
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