Stress, Weight Fluctuations, and a Recipe!

Are you STRESSED?



Do you drink coffee? Me, too. Do you use antacids, aspirin, antibiotics, steroids, oral contraceptives, penicillin, or prednisone (just to name a few)? What do these items have in common? They all deplete B vitamins. What's so important about B vitamins? Well, they are useful for alleviating depression and anxiety. Do you have stress? Me, too. Who doesn't? Everyone deals with stress, some better than others. If you're alive, you're at risk for stress and it's good to prepare your body to deal with it. How? Try taking a good B vitamin complex. B vitamins should be taken together. Usually if you are deficient in one, before long you'll be deficient in another. Along with aleviating stress, B vitamins help maintain the health of the nerves, skin, eyes, hair, liver, mouth, muscle tone of the GI tract, and proper brain function. You can get B vitamins from meat and dairy products. If your vegetarian like me, or if you would like to add some more B's to your life, check out the local health food store and ask them for a good B vitamin complex and let go of your stress.



Q & A

Q:

Is it healthy for your weight to fluctuate up to 5 pounds between morning and evening? I weigh in at 165 in the morning and 170 in the afternoons. I'm confused! Help! ~ A


A:

Here's the deal - stop weighing twice a day! Better yet, stop weighing everyday! Try weighing once a week. Weigh first thing in the morning, the same day each week, naked or wearing the same clothes each time. This will give you a more accurate picture of your weight. Personally, I had to stop weighing everyday because I was letting the scale determine my mood. If it showed that I had lost weight then it was going to be a good day. If it showed that I had gained - watch out! I decided that I was worshipping at the alter of the scale and it had to stop.

Now that we have decided to weigh only once a week, let's talk about fluctuations. It is perfectly normal for our bodies to fluctuate as much as 10lbs in one day. Water, dehydration, too much salt, menstrual cycles, caffeine, food, and even exercise can cause fluctuations. If you're lifting weights keep in mind that muscle weighs more than fat. It also takes up less space. So keep your eyes on your jeans and notice if they are getting baggy, then you'll know you've lost.



Recipe of the week:

No Bake Oat Energy Bites

Makes 24 1" balls



2 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds or walnuts

1/2 cup raisins

2 T raw sunflower seeds

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup almond, peanut, or sunflower butter

1/3 cup plus 1 T honey

2 T barley malt syrup or brown rice syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

coconut (optional)



1. Grind 1/2 cup oats and 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds or walnuts in food processor until powdery. Transfer to medium bowl and set aside.


2. Combine remianing cups of oats, pumpkin seeds, raisins, sunflower seeds, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in almond butter, honey, barley malt syrup, and vanilla until a soft dough forms.


3. Moisten hands and roll dough into 1" balls. Coat balls in oat/seed powder or in coconut. Place in freezer for 20 minutes and serve or store in fridge.

Cal: 148; Protein: 5g; Fat: 6g; Carbs: 21g; Sodium: 2mg; Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 8g

Eat Intentionally!