lizirroja
11-01-2007, 10:33 PM
As I was stuffing my face with my kids' Halloween candy, I got this in my inbox from a local gal who is a nutritionist. :)
This Wellness Tip Courtesy of
Lindsay Pasdera Marquez, MS RD
www.Wellness-RD.com
The Power of Gratitude
The Thanksgiving holiday is around the corner, complete with turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie. Eating these holiday treats is a huge part of the Thanksgiving tradition. An equally important part of the holiday is gratitude for all the gifts in our lives. Take some time to think about the many things you have to be grateful for this year.
One wonderful thing to add to your “gratitude list” this Thanksgiving season is something that many of us take for granted most of the time: the fact that when we’re hungry, food is available. Thankfulness can be a life-changing emotion; in fact, gratitude is more closely linked to happiness than any other emotional experience or material possession. And for those of us working to improve our relationship with food and eating, gratitude for our access to food can be an incredibly powerful tool. In the moment we are experiencing gratitude for a meal, it’s much easier to savor the tastes, aromas and textures of the food. Being grateful that we are able to feed our bodies the protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals that are essential for life makes it easier to stop eating when we’re comfortably full instead of stuffed.
If, in addition to improving your relationship with food, your gratitude inspires you to help others, consider getting involved with a local hunger relief organization. In Sonoma County, the Redwood Empire Food Bank (REFB) is the largest such organization, providing services to the twenty percent of people here touched by hunger and food insecurity.
REFB is the hub of a network of 128 non-profit or faith-based charitable organizations. These community organizations, including soup kitchens, food pantries, senior programs, childcare centers for low-income children, and programs for the disabled, all depend on food from REFB. Some of REFB’s wonderful programs include “The Backpack Project” that sends low-income children home from school on Friday afternoons with a bag full of nutritious, kid-friendly groceries, or the “Megan Furth Harvest Pantry” that acts as a mobile farmer’s market, bringing fresh fruits and vegetables to targeted neighborhoods. The “Senior Brown Bag” program provides low-income seniors with nutritious, supplemental groceries each month to help them maintain their health.
To help out this holiday season, take advantage of the large green food barrels at your grocery store to conveniently drop off fresh, frozen or non-perishable foods. According to REFB, the foods they need most are protein items like canned tuna or chicken, beans, soups or stews, peanut butter and macaroni and cheese. Donations of money are equally important, as every dollar given equals five dollars worth of donated food. Money donations are used for truck services and to purchase foods that aren’t as commonly donated, like fresh fruits and vegetables. Of course, volunteers are also welcomed to help pack food boxes, distribute food to recipients, organize a food drive, or even help at the reception desk. To learn more about the Redwood Empire Food Bank, please visit their website at www.refb.org.
Thanksgiving is a great time of year to focus on gratitude, but it is a wonderful addition to your life all year long.
Wellness Tip Courtesy of Lindsay Pasdera Marquez, MS RD www.Wellness-RD.com
This Wellness Tip Courtesy of
Lindsay Pasdera Marquez, MS RD
www.Wellness-RD.com
The Power of Gratitude
The Thanksgiving holiday is around the corner, complete with turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie. Eating these holiday treats is a huge part of the Thanksgiving tradition. An equally important part of the holiday is gratitude for all the gifts in our lives. Take some time to think about the many things you have to be grateful for this year.
One wonderful thing to add to your “gratitude list” this Thanksgiving season is something that many of us take for granted most of the time: the fact that when we’re hungry, food is available. Thankfulness can be a life-changing emotion; in fact, gratitude is more closely linked to happiness than any other emotional experience or material possession. And for those of us working to improve our relationship with food and eating, gratitude for our access to food can be an incredibly powerful tool. In the moment we are experiencing gratitude for a meal, it’s much easier to savor the tastes, aromas and textures of the food. Being grateful that we are able to feed our bodies the protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals that are essential for life makes it easier to stop eating when we’re comfortably full instead of stuffed.
If, in addition to improving your relationship with food, your gratitude inspires you to help others, consider getting involved with a local hunger relief organization. In Sonoma County, the Redwood Empire Food Bank (REFB) is the largest such organization, providing services to the twenty percent of people here touched by hunger and food insecurity.
REFB is the hub of a network of 128 non-profit or faith-based charitable organizations. These community organizations, including soup kitchens, food pantries, senior programs, childcare centers for low-income children, and programs for the disabled, all depend on food from REFB. Some of REFB’s wonderful programs include “The Backpack Project” that sends low-income children home from school on Friday afternoons with a bag full of nutritious, kid-friendly groceries, or the “Megan Furth Harvest Pantry” that acts as a mobile farmer’s market, bringing fresh fruits and vegetables to targeted neighborhoods. The “Senior Brown Bag” program provides low-income seniors with nutritious, supplemental groceries each month to help them maintain their health.
To help out this holiday season, take advantage of the large green food barrels at your grocery store to conveniently drop off fresh, frozen or non-perishable foods. According to REFB, the foods they need most are protein items like canned tuna or chicken, beans, soups or stews, peanut butter and macaroni and cheese. Donations of money are equally important, as every dollar given equals five dollars worth of donated food. Money donations are used for truck services and to purchase foods that aren’t as commonly donated, like fresh fruits and vegetables. Of course, volunteers are also welcomed to help pack food boxes, distribute food to recipients, organize a food drive, or even help at the reception desk. To learn more about the Redwood Empire Food Bank, please visit their website at www.refb.org.
Thanksgiving is a great time of year to focus on gratitude, but it is a wonderful addition to your life all year long.
Wellness Tip Courtesy of Lindsay Pasdera Marquez, MS RD www.Wellness-RD.com