Gateway to Health Challenge
Newsletters
Week 4
Love Your Unique Self
By Linda Rellergert, University of
Missouri Extension
The way we feel about ourselves has a powerful and pervasive impact on us. People who feel good about themselves are more likely to make good decisions in many areas, especially regarding choices that affect their health like what and how much they eat and physical activity.
Each of us can help promote a love of self in ourselves
and others in many small things we do every day. Here is a
list of suggestions you might want to use or share with a
friend.
- Move more every day—walk, swim, dance, play, run, skate—have fun.
- Help someone else. Encourage someone else.
- Call a friend or write them a letter.
- Learn a new skill like quilting, golf, woodworking, or painting.
- Accept compliments gracefully with a simple “thank you” rather than dismissing them.
- Ask your family or friends to remind you about all the things they love about you.
- Smile and say hello to at least one new person every day.
- Keep a gratitude journal.
- Practice yoga or meditation.
- Before you go to bed, write down at least three good things that happened to you or that you did during the day.
- Spend some time with nature. Watch a beautiful sunrise or sunset, take a walk in the woods, or ride in the country.
- Learn to view advertising with a critical eye. Remember, the primary purpose of ads is to make people feel needy so they buy, buy, buy.
- Tackle some chore you’ve been putting off for a while like cleaning the garage or straightening the pantry.
- Create a collage of favorite memories with ticket stubs, play programs or other mementos.
- Volunteer with a community organization, animal shelter or senior center.
- Praise effort in self or others as well as successes.
- Refrain from teasing others about their body or physical abilities.
- Use positive rather than negative talk with yourself and others.
NUTRITION TIP OF THE WEEK:
Help Your Heart—Eat More Omega 3s!
By Linda Rellergert, University of Missouri Extension, and adapted by Molly Vetter-Smith, University of Missouri Extension
Often it seems that nutrition advice is about making do with less. But, when it comes to omega-3 fatty acids, the advice is just the opposite. Eat more!
Omega-3 fats can help improve health in a number of ways,
yet most of us eat less than is thought to be desirable.
First, let’s look at the benefits of this kind of fat:
- Arthritis: Omega-3 fats may reduce
inflammation that is common to rheumatoid, psoriatic and
osteoarthritis.
- Cancer: Omega-3s may slow tumor growth and
tumor cells may die more easily. As a result,
chemotherapy is more effective and has fewer side
effects when omega-3 fats are included in the diet of
cancer patients.
- Heart disease and strokes: Omega-3s reduce
the “stickiness” of blood platelets and so lowers the
likelihood that blood clots will form and stick to
artery walls. Omega-3 fats may help prevent hardening of
the arteries and keep blood pressure, cholesterol and
triglycerides low.
Omega-3 fats are sometimes known by their initials of
EPA, DHA and ALA which are shorthand for their chemical
names: eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and alpha
linolenic acid. The names are not as important as knowing
which foods are good sources. While supplements of omega-3s
are available, they are not recommended for most people.
They have not been shown as helpful as eating foods high in
omega-3 fats, and they increase the risk of internal
bleeding for some people. In addition, some supplements have
been found to be contaminated with heavy metals.
If you were waiting for the catch, here it is. The key to
achieving the benefits of omega-3 fats is to include them as
part of your heart-healthy eating plan. That means generally
moderate amounts of all fat and using omega-3 foods to
replace other less healthy choices not to add on extra
calories.
These foods are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Plan to include
them often in your meals:
Grains and cereals made from
• oat germ
• wheat germ
• flaxseed
• flaxseed meal
Nuts
• walnuts
• Brazil nuts
• pine nuts
Fish
• salmon
• anchovies
• sardines
• tuna
• herring
• whitefish
• halibut
• bluefish
Vegetables
• leeks
• spinach
• cauliflower
• broccoli
• leafy greens
Spreads and oils
• canola oil
• soft or liquid margarine made from canola oil
Sources: “Omega-3s: Fats You Should and Can Eat,” by
Barbara Lohse Knous, PhD, RD, LD, Kansas State University
Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension
Service, and American Dietetic Association Complete Food and
Nutrition Guide, second edition by Roberta Larson Duyff, MS,
RD, FADA, CFCS, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2002.
EXERCISE TIP OF THE WEEK:
Scheduling Physical Activity
Look at your schedule to see where physical activity may best fit in—perhaps on weekday mornings before work or during your favorite evening television program. There are no rules about the best time to exercise. But if you are strength training, keep in mind that you should schedule your sessions on three non-consecutive days of week (say, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) in order to give your muscles proper rest. Alternatively, you can try doing lower body exercises one day and then upper body exercises the next; this way, you will avoid overworking the same muscle groups.
Put your scheduled exercise appointments on your calendar and keep them faithfully, just as you would a doctor’s appointment. You might also try to find an exercise partner who can join you for your scheduled sessions; working with a friend will help you adhere to your regimen and keep you motivated.
Here are some tips on scheduling exercise:
- Consider what days best suit your schedule, given your other commitments.
- Pick a time of day at which you find exercise enjoyable for YOU: Some people like to exercise first thing in the morning; others are more motivated in the evening or afternoon.
- Write your first exercise appointments on your calendar.
- After completing your first two or three sessions, evaluate whether your selected days and times work well for you. If they don’t, reexamine your schedule and try to find better times.
Source: Tufts University, Growing Stronger Program; National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
RECIPE OF THE WEEK:
Special Spring Frittata
¾ to 1 pound asparagus
1 teaspoon butter or margarine
¼ cup diced baked or boiled ham
3 eggs, beaten
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2-3 tablespoons grated Swiss cheese
Wash and trim asparagus. Remove tips and set aside. Cut spears into 1-inch pieces and place in medium nonstick skillet.
Add water to almost cover and bring to a boil. Cook for 1
minute, then add asparagus tips and cook for another minute.
Drain off water.
Melt butter or margarine in same skillet and toss in ham. Pour beaten eggs over ham and asparagus in skillet.
Season with pepper and sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook
over medium-low heat until eggs are set and cheese has
melted.
Loosen edges and slide onto serving plate.
Makes 2 servings. Nutrition information
per serving: 243 calories, 20g protein, 4g carbohydrates,
16g fat, 473mg sodium.
Note: for 4 servings double all ingredients and cook in medium to large skillet. For more than 4 servings, prepare in two or more batches.
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