September 08 Newsletter

September

All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!

- Lucy Van Pelt, from Peanuts, by Charles M. Schultz

I used to be addicted to Werther's Original butterscotch candies. Most of us know them from the advertisement of the grandfather giving them to his grandson. I doubt if that grandfather would actually have become a grandfather had he eaten the amount of candies I once did. I used to limit myself to a "pack" a day, often finding myself weak and shaky by midday, desperately needing something sweet, and without delay! At least my addictions where to food but addiction to sugar is like any other addiction. The white stuff (sugar) is a drug like caffeine, nicotine and heroin. The big companies are aware of this and that is why it is added to just about everything (from candies and chocolate to ketchup and toothpaste).
Today I eat foods with natural and healthy sweetness (fruit, dried fruit, chocolate with a high percentage of cacao solids, root vegetables, whole grains) which all give long lasting energy and luckily I do not experience those uncontrollable cravings anymore.

Deconstructing Cravings

The body is an amazing source of intelligence. It is always there for you,

pumping blood, never skipping a heartbeat, digesting whatever food you put into it and maintaining homeostasis. Can it be that this reliable, intelligent bio-computer is making a mistake by craving ice cream or a hamburger or chocolate? Are cravings due to lack of willpower or discipline? I'd like to suggest that cravings are not a problem. They are critical pieces of information that tell you what your body needs.

The important thing is to understand why you crave what you crave. Perhaps your diet is too restrictive or devoid of essential nutrients. Perhaps you are living a lifestyle that is too boring or stressful. Your body tries to correct the imbalance by sending you a message: a craving. A craving for something sweet could mean you need more protein, more exercise, more water or more love in your life. The key to stopping the sugar craving is to understand and deliver what your body really needs.

Your body knows best and is always trying to create balance: however, products like refined foods, sugar, caffeine, alcohol and drugs (which have little or no nutritional value) are confusing to the body. They throw the body off balance and can create serious cravings as your body tries to get what it needs to restore internal harmony. The more your food is whole and healthy, the easier it is for your body to stay in balance and provide you with a happier, healthier life.

No book or theory can tell you what to eat. Only awareness of your body and its needs can tell you. Of all the relationships in our lives, the one with our own body is the most essential. It takes communication, love and time to cultivate a relationship with your body. As you learn to decipher and respond to your body's cravings, you will create a deep and lasting level of health and balance.

The next time you have a craving, treat it as a loving message from your body instead of a weakness. Try these tips to respond to your body:

1.Have a glass of water and wait 10 minutes.

2.Eat a healthier version of what you crave. For example, if you crave sweets, try eating more fruit and sweet or root vegetables.

3.What is out of balance in your life? Is there something you need to express, or is something being repressed? What happened in your life just before you had this craving?

4.When you eat the food you are craving, enjoy it, taste it, savor it; notice its effect. You will then become more aware and free to decide if you really want it next time.

Food Focus: Natural Sweeteners

Whom amongst doesn't love sweets? The sweet flavor releases serotonin in our brains, the chemical responsible for our sense of well-being and contentment. But when it comes to sweeteners, not all are created equal. There are side effects and health risks from refined sweeteners like white table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, and from artificial sweeteners like Aspartame, Saccharin and Maltitol. Because they have been stripped of vitamins, minerals and fiber, refined sweeteners can spike blood sugar, which can often lead to cravings, and to mood and energy fluctuations. Using naturally and minimally processed sweeteners instead can reduce cravings for sugary things, level blood sugar ups and downs, stabilize moods and have a dramatically positive effect on long-term health.

Here are a few natural sweeteners to substitute in drinks, food and baking. Since they are all approximately 1.5 times sweeter than refined sugar, you can use less. You can find them in most natural food stores. When replacing sugar with liquid sweeteners in a recipe, reduce the amounts of other liquids.

Agave Nectar

Agave is made through the extraction and purification of the juice of the agave cactus. It does not stimulate insulin secretion as other sugars do, so it does not create a "sugar rush." It has a delightfully light and mild flavor.

Maple Syrup

Maple syrup is the concentrated extract of the sap of maple trees. It adds a rich, deep flavor to foods and drinks, Make sure to look for 100% pure maple syrup, not maple-flavored corn syrup. As with all sweeteners, organic varieties are best.

Adapted from "The Cane Mutiny," New Age Magazine, March/April 1999.

Recipe of the month: Banana Ice Cream

all natural !

Prep time: 5 minutes

Serves: 2

1.Peel 2 ripe bananas, cut and freeze.

2.When frozen blend in food processor or blender until very creamy, using a spoon to push the fruit well into the blade and blend some more.

3.Transfer to two bowls, and sprinkle with the topping of your choice: nuts, raisins, a bit of cinnamon, tahini paste, agave, maple ... you can't go wrong.

Enjoy the tastiest, healthiest ice cream on the planet!!!

Bulletin Board

Health and Wellness Workshop for Corporations

As a Certified Health Counselor, I facilitate a fun and informative Employee Health and Wellness Workshop. This workshop includes education on how to implement better nutrition and life choices to create a healthier life, a more efficient day and reduce stress in the work environment. It serves as a first step in living a healthier more balanced life.

I would be happy to discuss and mail my information package to whomever is interested.

Health Food Store Tour, September 9^th
Do you ever wonder what they sell in health food stores?
And what do you do with all that healthy stuff?
Please join me for an informative and fun tour of my favorite store
Where? Teva Sport Castel - Hamanofim 5, Herzliya Pituach
http://www.tevasport.com/stores.asp
When? Tuesday, September 9^th
What time? 18:30– 20:00
How much? NIS 25

A 5% discount on the dietary supplements will be given to participants at the end of the tour
Please book ahead
For information and reservation: 054-4670239

Connect to your body, Listen to your cravings and don't forget to Breathe!

Talya Lewin
Holistic health counselor
www.talyalewin.com