Month: November 2017

Categories
Happy x Mindful Wellbeing

3 Anxiety-Reducing Breathing Techniques That Will Calm You Down In Minutes

You feel anxious, you feel anxious about your anxiety, and then your anxiety spirals out of control. Your body tenses up, and worry—whether it’s about one specific thing or all the things at once—floods your mind. What can you do to put yourself back in the driver’s seat?
Soothing your body and mind when you’re in an anxious state is difficult, but we’ve all heard the old adage, “Take a deep breath.” It sounds so easy. Of course it proves harder when overwhelming anxiety is preventing us from enjoying social events, being productive, or thinking clearly. And if you first heard that calm command in childhood, you may wonder if it even holds any weight in adult life, where the stakes are higher and comfort (at the office, in the grocery store, or during a night out) is less readily available.
Still, a 2015 study suggests that self-regulation of breathing should be considered as a primary treatment not only for anxiety, but for stress, depression, and certain emotional disorders as well. Another article, published in Frontiers in Psychology, suggests that certain breathing techniques that facilitate awareness and breath control can “benefit both physical and mental health.”
The fantastic thing about many breathing exercises is that they take only minutes and have a near-immediate effect, which means they can be done during your lunch break or in a discreet space during a stressful event.
We recommend beginning by trying these exercises in a peaceful place: on a blanket or mat on the floor, in your bed before you’re about to sleep, or in a comfortable chair. If you can, start by practicing these techniques in a quiet area, free from distractions and disturbances so you’ll be ready to use them confidently in less-than-ideal surroundings if the need arises.
These exercises are simple, but they might seem counterintuitive at first because most of us are used to breathing without being conscious of our breath. If you forget to count, or you don’t feel like you’re doing it right, don’t worry: The point isn’t to do the exercises perfectly but to afford yourself a sense of calm.

1. Counting Breaths

Does anxiety keep you up at night? Me too.
Instead of counting sheep, consider counting your breaths. This is an excellent opportunity to focus on regulating your breath while preparing your body for the most restorative kind of relaxation: sleep. Breathe in and out of your nose slowly. Count to one. Inhale and exhale again. Count to two. Do this 10 times, and then start at one again.
The key during this breathing exercise is to slow it down. Don’t count as fast as you can, and don’t pump your breaths in and out too quickly.

2. The 4-7-8 Method

When your anxiety is mounting, temporarily distracting yourself can be a great coping mechanism.
All breathing exercises can distract you from your increasing anxiety because you’ll be focusing on your breath and not your stressors. This particular exercise requires a bit of concentration: enough to distract you, but not enough to be difficult.
Breathe in for a count of four, hold it for a count of seven, and breathe out for a count of eight. Do this set three times in total.
To make the most out of this exercise, consider the importance of breathing with your diaphragm, a practice you can learn about with this resource from the Cleveland Clinic.

3. Deep Breathing

When we’re in panic mode, we take quick, shallow breaths instead of slow, deep breaths. Change it up by taking slow breaths that feel like they fill your entire ribcage up with air.
Once again, breathe in deeply through your nose. Notice the air as it fills your nose, then your throat area, then your chest, then your belly. Allow your chest and belly to inflate and deflate like a balloon. Do this for a count of five or 10 breaths.
Breathing is something we literally do all the time. We take it for granted and often we don’t realize how powerful it can be. When it comes to anxiety, breathing can be one of the most useful natural tools we have in improving our relationships with both our bodies and our minds.

Categories
Lifestyle

7 Habits That Make People Seem Less Intelligent

No one wants to attract attention for appearing stupid. It’s not something to strive for.
We’d all prefer to be the best and the brightest in our personal and professional lives. There’s a reason that one of our worst fears is public speaking: We’re terrified we’ll make a mistake that makes us look foolish in front of others. It’s embarrassing to look dumb. But you’d be surprised at how easy it is to do.
Try as we might, sometimes we engage in self-sabotaging behaviors that undermine our authority and make others scoff at our intellects.

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The worst part is that these are very common human traits we’re all prone to. The key to avoiding them, though, is self-awareness. With just a few simple tweaks to your social habits, you can make yourself look sharper and more competent in no time.
With that in mind, let’s look at the worst of these habits, why we have them, and how we can fix them so that those around us will see us for how bright we are.

Dressing Down in Professional Situations or Important Events

Who doesn’t want to be dressed comfortably at all times? In modern society, business casual is more accepted than ever, but don’t forget the “business” part. If you dress slovenly, or wear clothing that doesn’t fit the occasion (or is ill-fitting), you can expect to be looked at with disapproval.

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If you don’t have a lock on your sense of style, it can hurt you: A 2014 study from the Journal of Experimental Psychology put 128 men of diverse age and backgrounds through simulated business negotiations.
The big reveal? Those who wore suits were perceived as more professional and assertive. Those in casual attire were more unsure in their delivery and failed to attract similar respect from their peers.
HealthyWaySo before you walk out the door, do a double-take in the mirror. Simply ask yourself, is this really right for the event I’m attending? If the answer is no, or you find you don’t have the proper attire in your wardrobe, it’s time to go shopping.

Slouching

We’re all guilty of hunching over our screens, our books, or anything else that holds our attention. It’s gotten to the point that if someone sits up straight, it stands out as unusual. However, slouching may cause more than back pain. Check out the video below to see why you should sit up straight more often.

Excessive Nodding and Head Tilts

It may sound odd, but how you hold your head in a business meeting or casual conversation can radically alter how others view you.
Goman notes this can be an issue that especially undermines women’s confidence. One example is head tilting, which is fine in small doses, but when excessively denotes submissiveness.
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“It’s like my puppy [who] I used to take for walks,” she says. “… when he’d see a great big dog, he’d tilt his neck as if to say ‘Go ahead, bite me, [hurt] me. Because you’re bigger I know you could anyway.’ It’s a really subconscious view of vulnerability.”
Goman adds that excessive head nodding is also a no-no: “It’s a nonverbal cue that says ‘I’m listening,’ … but women tend to nod our heads like little bobblehead dolls. …It just looks like we’re agreeing with everything. Because men tend to nod only when they agree, but we nod to encourage someone to keep speaking. …So that makes us look like we’re agreeing with everything and don’t have an idea of our own.”


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Communications success strategist and body communication expert Sharon Sayler notes other things to avoid: repeatedly looking down makes others view us as shy, while continually looking up can make us appear aloof and arrogant. She offers a simple fix: “Always keep your chin parallel to the ground.”

Misusing Words and Phrases (and Verbal Pauses)

We all want to impress, so adding some fancy words to our lexicon will make people take notice. This can backfire horribly, however, if you don’t have a good grasp on the words you actually use. You wind up looking pretentious and foolish.

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And it’s not just misusing fancy words that can make us look stupid, but common words and phrases as well.
Harvard cognitive scientist and linguist Steven Pinker explored the most commonly fumbled words and phrases in his 2015 book The Sense of Style, and it’s an illuminating look at how easy it is to get tripped up over everyday language.
HealthyWayCommon blunders include confusing plural words for singulars (criterion vs. criteria, datum vs. data), or words easily mistaken for each other (disinterested vs. uninterested, fortuitous vs. fortunate).
And one of the prize offenders is literally the word “literally,” which is constantly being used mistakenly for “figuratively.” It’s been abused so much that Merriam-Webster and Cambridge dictionaries are now acknowledging its informal usage.

Another way words can backfire is the verbal pause. Sayler says the excessive injection of “uh,” “ah”, “you know,” and “basically” all undermine our authority, but it a common error: “I’ve been to corporations where the majority of people there use the word ‘basically,’ … they don’t realize that it’s not used in common everyday language in the business world, and it makes them look less than intelligent.”

Language Softeners and “Outsourcing Success”

Sayler also cautions against what she calls a “language softener,” i.e., self-deprecating comments like “well I’m not sure about this idea, but…”, may cause your contribution to be passed up for someone else’s more confident pitch.

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She also adds that these types of statements “minimize what you say next. …It makes you look less intelligent.”
To avoid this (and other self-sabotaging issues), she recommends taking several deep breaths, which help clear your mind, relax your face, and regain your focus.
Having said that, she warns to avoid excessive mouth breathing, which is also denoted as a sign of lower intelligence.
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Goman discussed another concept that can hinder success in the workplace (which tends to affect women more than men). She calls it “outsourcing success,” or the inability to accept a compliment. If one deflects praise for their work by replying along the lines of “anyone could have done it,” or “it was my team,” this tends to “make them look less confident, competent and less smart.” So when someone compliments you, the best thing you can do is say “thank you” and own that success.

Being Overly Judgmental

If you think ripping on someone you dislike will make you look better in the eyes of others, think again. In fact, it’s one of the most self-destructive habits to engage in if you’re trying to get ahead at your job.

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Gossiping makes you untrustworthy. A lack of compassion is often seen in tandem with a lack of intelligence. Lacking the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes generally means you’re oblivious to your own faults.
Not only that, but it makes people less likely to interact with you, as they realize they could also be in the firing line.
Another reason to avoid judgmentalism: Sometimes our negative assumptions are based on inaccurate information, and when you’re eventually confronted with the fact that your comments were off-base, you look twice as foolish. And don’t be surprised to find out that others are talking negatively about you, too.

Using Profanity At Work

Despite recent studies show that those that curse are the smartest, using profanity at work still isn’t a good look.

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This is the biggest no-brainer on the list. We realize the occasional on the job curse word is pretty inevitable. And it can defuse tension at the office and take the air out of the situation. But excessive cursing is still perceived by many as lacking in class.
In a 2012 Career Builder survey, 64 percent of employers said they had a negative view of employees who curse, and 57 percent said they’d be less likely to promote cursing workers to higher positions.
In other words, if you’re looking for a new job and drop the f-bomb during the interview, don’t count on getting a callback.
Keeping all these pointers in mind will make your daily interactions far more positive and beneficial in your life, both personally and professionally.
Just remember to be the best version of yourself you can be to help improve how intelligent you’re seen in the eyes of others (and yourself). And whenever you’re in doubt about how you look in public, always remember…ahhhhh…to breathe.

Categories
Motherhood

How Young Is Too Young To Be Home Alone?

Recently, Erin Lee Macke, a mother in Iowa, left her four children (who ranged in age between 6 and 12 years old) alone at home while she enjoyed a 10-day vacation in Germany.
When she arrived back home, she discovered her kids were all in protective custody, and she was hauled off to jail. The story set the internet ablaze, as did the question from anyone who read it: why would any parent think this was a good idea?

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Macke in police custody (via Reuters)

Local law enforcement agreed, with one officer noting: “I’ve never heard of anything like this before. …We have situations where parents go next door or parents may go out for the night, and while that’s not advisable either depending on the age of the children, obviously leaving the country is a totally different situation.”
Drastic as the example may be, Macke’s legal troubles raise an interesting debate for parents—what age is appropriate for leaving your child unattended? How young is too young to be left at home without adult supervision? What are the greatest risks? Will I be perceived as a bad parent if I leave my children by themselves? Or am I being too much of a helicopter parent by not giving them more independence?

 

HealthyWayThese are much harder questions to answer than you might think—this isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. It can require some extensive research and gut-checks before you can make an informed decision. So before you leave your children all by their lonesome, let’s break down the data.

Legal Issues

This may prove surprising, but there really isn’t a national standard in the United States for the minimum age a child can be left unattended. As a result, this often comes down to the state level (and many states, shockingly, have no restriction at all).
Joyce Nuner, associate professor in family and consumer sciences, child and family studies at Baylor University, says finding this information can prove difficult: “Sometimes it’s hard to find what [your state] guidelines are … but they’re usually found through their Department of Protective and Regulatory services.”

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These ages can vary widely. For instance, Illinois requires a child be at least 14 years of age, while it’s only 8 years of age in Maryland. Mique, a blogger for Thirty Handmade Days, has tried to take the guesswork out of the equation by creating a chart that shows age laws by state.
It also includes a list of suggested times for how long to leave them alone as well (for example, 8- to 10-year-olds shouldn’t be left alone for more than an hour and a half, while 11- to 12-year-olds can be alone for up to three hours).
HealthyWaySo make sure you have this knowledge in tow. You don’t want to jeopardize the custody of your children.

Every child is different.

Once you’ve figured out if it’s legal to leave your child at home to their own devices, the next ethical question comes into play: should you?
Nuner says you can’t always go by child’s age when making this decision: “As a parent, what you’re looking at is the maturity level and temperament of the child. …You can see the maturity level in different ways, such as their ability to follow directions and to understand instructions…”

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In other words, a teenager doesn’t necessarily hold an advantage over a 10-year-old as far as holding down the fort is concerned. Nuner says that “some of this can be taught, but I also believe some of it is innate in children.”
So it’s up to the parents to gauge their child’s development and sense of responsibility before leaving them unattended. Engage your child in dialogue and see if they fully grasp the concepts or tasks they’ll need to handle while you’re away. If they appear to be having trouble, it’s time to take the pressure off their shoulders and find a babysitter.

Dangers

Now that we’ve covered how to determine if your child is equipped to stay at home by themselves, it’s time to identify the very real risks they may encounter while you’re not home.

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While most parents worry about things like a child starting a kitchen fire or letting a stranger in the house, a 2014 study by American Journal of Nursing Science shows the biggest risks are behavioral in nature.
In the case of children 10 and younger, loneliness, fear and boredom were the main concerns, according to the study. For teenagers, it’s a greater risk of substance abuse and promiscuity. Middle-school-age children left alone for more than three hours per day were more prone to depression and low self-esteem.
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One of the best ways to avoid all of these risks is to keep your kid busy with homework, fun activities and chores. Boredom is often the gateway to trouble, so a well-planned schedule works wonders.

Untapped Benefits

Despite the risks, there are actually some significant benefits to leaving your kid alone—for both your child and yourself.
 

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“First, you’re fostering a sense of responsibility [by trusting your child to self-supervise],” according to WebMD. “And second, you might actually be able to get out for a quiet, kid-free meal with your spouse.”
However, a study from the University of California, Irvine shows today’s parents are more anxious than previous generations about leaving their kids unattended. The reason? They’re stigmatized by other parents.
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Lead author Ashley Thomas notes that society has continually increased their estimates of the dangers of leaving kids home alone “in order to better justify or rationalize the moral disapproval we feel toward parents who violate this relatively new social norm.”
This is largely fed by stories of child abduction or severe parental neglect by media, events that, while horrifying, are also exceedingly rare, as the study concluded—“The idea that unsupervised children are in constant danger is relatively new. Just one generation ago, children had much more freedom to explore their surroundings,” says Thomas.
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Nuner concurs that this lack of freedom can be counterproductive to a child who is mature enough to self-supervise, in which case it can be a very positive experience: “a child can feel a large sense of satisfaction from the experience if given the proper tools.”

Safety Tips

Okay, so now that you’ve determined if your child is ready to be left alone while you enjoy a night out or take a late shift at work, it’s time to lay down some ground rules.
HealthyWayNothing brings peace of mind (and reduces risks) like having a checklist to keep your kiddos safe in your absence. Here are the most important things to have in place.

  • An emergency plan. Make sure your children know how to secure the house, arm the alarm, and call 911. Go over kitchen safety tips, and include a list of emergency contacts in case you can’t be reached.
  • Make sure your child has your phone number handy and that they keep theirs closeby. Also, discourage them from answering any calls from numbers they don’t know. Likewise, limit their social media presence while you’re away. You don’t want the outside world knowing they’re at home alone.
  • Make sure any prescription medicine, poisons, flammable materials, household cleaners, firearms and knives are out of reach and locked away tight.
  • Most importantly, tell them never to open the door for strangers or to leave the house while you’re gone. If you’re expecting a package, leave a note to place it on your front porch. Any service rep like an exterminator or cable company employee should only be in the home with an adult present. No friends over to the house while you’re gone, either.
  • The American Red Cross offers more tips for household safety and an app children can use in case of emergencies.

Trial Run

Finally, make sure to do a trial run. Try leaving the house for about an hour, but stick closeby with your phone handy. Upon your return, ask if they have any concerns or problems, and make sure to run through a list of worst case scenarios for preemptive troubleshooting.

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It’s very important to not rush this step—if they seem overanxious, worried or confused, then you must make a judgment call on if a second trial run is needed or if they’re simply not ready to be left on their own yet.
Don’t put pressure on them. The last thing you want is for them to agree to something they’re simply unprepared to handle.
We hope these tips help to give you some clarity of purpose when coming up with a sensible plan for leaving your children alone while you’re away.
We know it can be stressful and scary, but it can also be a rewarding process—if handled responsibly.
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When in doubt, take the extra time and patience to discuss your concerns with your child to make sure they fully grasp all that’s needed for self-supervision. Once everyone is comfortable, you can enjoy a night out without having your stomach in knots.

Categories
In the Kitchen Nosh

Golden Milk: What It Is And How To Make It At Home

Golden milk, golden lattes, and turmeric tea! Recently you may have come across a variation of these soothing turmeric-based drinks at your favorite coffee shop, in a vegan restaurant, or on various social media channels.
Golden milk’s sudden surge in popularity is understandable. Thanks to its sunny hue, this is one photogenic beverage; a quick search of the hashtag #goldenmilk yields hundreds of results on Instagram alone. But what is it that makes golden milk so special among the hyper health-conscious?
It turns out golden milk has a long history of being used for its anti-inflammatory effects, along with a whole host of other rumored benefits pertaining to digestive health, weight loss, joint pain, and even cancer prevention.

The Origins of Golden Milk

The history of golden milk goes back thousands of years and finds its roots in traditional Chinese and Indian Ayurvedic medicines.
Turmeric, the spice used in golden milk that gives the drink its fabulous yellow color, has been used in various traditions, including Chinese medicine and Ayurveda to treat digestive issues, inflammation problems such as arthritis and menstrual pain, and to help improve liver function. While some of the health claims associated with turmeric and golden milk are still undergoing clinical trials, certain benefits of the brew have already stood up to the test of time.

Turmeric: The Golden Spice

Turmeric is the star of golden milk. It’s a golden spice that can be used in its fresh or dried forms. Currently the darling of health and food blogs all over the world, turmeric sales in the U.S. alone are projected to almost double by the year 2020. Turmeric has been credited as a miracle cure for anything that could possibly ail you, including diagnoses from depression to diabetes.

Is this too good to be true? The short answer is “possibly,” but a more in-depth answer is still in the works as scientists, registered dietitians, and researchers study its effects.

All About Curcumin

Turmeric contains curcumin, a chemical compound that is responsible for all of the perceived health benefits turmeric has to offer. Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant that is believed to be even more powerful than both vitamin C and E when it comes to its ability to repair damaged cells. Curcumin has also shown great promise as an anti-inflammatory agent, a finding that could warrant it being used in the treatment of a long list of medical conditions.
Amanda Li, a registered dietician and owner of Wellness Simplified, is excited about the potential effects these studies might have on the treatment of chronic inflammation, saying “There is mounting evidence supporting curcumin’s role in inhibiting the inflammatory process, and thus reducing chronic diseases including obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.”
While clinical studies are still in their early stages, there are promising results that show that there may be some scientific truth to turmeric’s legendary holistic healing powers.

A Note on Curcumin Absorption

Curcumin may seem like a dream nutrient, but one of its drawbacks is that it’s difficult for your gastrointestinal tract to absorb.
Li cautions, “It is important to note that curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, is fat-soluble, and absorption is enhanced when combined with black pepper and dishes that contain fat, such as coconut, fish, olive oil, and avocado.”
According to one study, 20 milligrams of ground black pepper ingested along with curcumin increased curcumin absorption by up to 2000 percent, which may account for why turmeric is so often paired with black pepper in traditional curries. However, these studies are still in their very early stages, and malabsorption remains one of the biggest issues to overcome in clinical trials on humans.

Turmeric: Fresh Versus Dried

Turmeric is most commonly found in powdered form, although whole dried turmeric can be purchased from natural food stores and well-stocked Asian grocery stores.
Fresh turmeric rhizomes, also known as turmeric roots, are closely related to fresh ginger rhizomes. Small and unassuming, fresh turmeric roots have a vivid yellow–orange interior and a mildly peppery flavor. Like ginger, young turmeric rhizomes can be used skin and all. However, older roots should have their tough skins removed with a knife, spoon, or potato peeler. Fresh turmeric should be stored loosely wrapped in the fridge or sliced thinly and frozen for up to several months before you use or discard it.
Dried turmeric is made of turmeric rhizomes that have been boiled and then dried. Dried turmeric ranges in color from bright yellow to burnt orange and has an earthier flavor than fresh turmeric. Dried turmeric should be stored in a glass jar away from heat and direct sunlight. As with other spices, dried turmeric should be purchased from a reputable shop with frequent product turnover to ensure freshness.
Unless a recipe specifies otherwise, fresh and dried turmeric can be used interchangeably. As a general rule, 1 inch of fresh turmeric is equal to 1 tablespoon of grated or finely minced turmeric, which is equal to 1 teaspoon of dried turmeric.

Golden milk, but which milk?

Golden milk’s introduction into the Western world has largely coincided with the variety of vegan milks on the market, and its reputation as a healing tea has found golden milk right at home on the menus of natural food and plant-based restaurants. Traditional Indian recipes generally call for organic dairy milk, whereas modernized versions are often made with soy, rice, or nut milk. In short, the type of milk you use for golden milk is entirely dependent on your tastes. If using dairy milk, make sure that it’s whole milk (i.e. has its full fat content), since low fat and skim milk tend to separate when heated.

To ghee or not to ghee?

Fat is an important part of any golden milk recipe, and ghee is one way you can get some fat in the mix.
Ghee is essentially super-clarified butter, and it’s an important staple in Indian cooking. You can make ghee it at home or buy it. Ghee is shelf-stable and it’s often found in the international food sections of well-stocked supermarkets.
Coconut oil, another food that’s risen through the ranks from humble ingredient to nutrition superstar, is often more readily available and will make an equally delicious addition to your next batch of homemade golden milk.

Making Golden Milk at Home

Golden milk has been made for thousands of years, so it’s no surprise there are endless variations on this traditional tea. Golden milk essentially comes down to a few ingredients—any additions are up to you. Experiment with grated fresh turmeric in lieu of the dried and look to your spice cupboard for inspiration—anything along the lines of pumpkin spice generally works well.
If the thought of a caffeine-free hot drink makes you feel uneasy, a shot or two of espresso can be added to your golden milk. Golden milk can be kept in the fridge for up to five days; simply reheat it over the stove or in the microwave.

Golden Milk Your Way

2 cups of milk (whole, nut, soy, rice, or hemp)
1 Tbsp coconut oil or ghee
1 tsp dried turmeric or 1-inch fresh turmeric, thinly sliced or grated
1 tsp dried ginger or 1-inch fresh ginger, thinly sliced or grated
1 cinnamon stick
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp honey
Whisk all ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the flavors to steep. Strain the tea through cheesecloth or a fine colander or sieve. Then use a hand blender to froth up the golden milk and better emulsify the ingredients. Note that the frothing step is particularly useful when reheating the golden milk.

Variations on Golden Milk

  • Golden Milk Smoothies


    More a fan of smoothies first thing in the morning? The ingredients in golden milk are just as tasty when they’re combined in smoothie form. Add a dollop of coconut oil to your smoothie to help your body absorb as many nutritional benefits as possible.

  • Iced Golden Milk Latte

    Iced golden milk lattes are a perfect on-the-go beverage that can be made quickly when you have leftover golden milk. For a real treat, freeze a batch of golden milk in ice cube trays so that you can enjoy your chilled golden milk latte without any danger of ice cube dilution.

  • Golden Milk Bone Broth

    This golden milk variation turns turmeric tea into a soothing and savory treat with the addition of ultra-rich bone broth. Take this nutrient-rich golden broth to work in a thermos on cold days. You’ll feel both warmed and energized by this turmeric-packed broth.

  • Golden Milk Paste

    If making golden milk becomes a habit and you find yourself craving it all hours of the day, then it’s very much worth it to make a golden milk paste. This paste is essentially a golden milk concentrate that can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three weeks for almost-instant turmeric tea whenever a craving strikes.

What if golden milk isn’t your cup of tea?

If the thought of golden milk sounds downright unappetizing, don’t worry. There are countless other ways to get the benefits of turmeric without having to drink it. Li gives several examples of how she enjoys turmeric when it’s not in golden milk form:

  • Turmeric Rice

    This is simply rice that has been steamed with the addition of turmeric and butter. Add finely chopped fresh herbs and green peas to round out the dish.

  • Turmeric Marinade

    A turmeric-based marinade not only adds the benefits of curcumin to the dish; it also imparts a beautiful yellow color to whatever is being marinated. This recipe can be used to marinate chicken or white fish and also includes freshly cracked pepper that can help with absorption.

  • Curry With Turmeric

    Turmeric is a central ingredient in many Indian curries, as is the case with this vibrant Turmeric Cauliflower Curry. If Thai curry is more your thing, you’ll be pleased to discover turmeric also plays an important role in Thai recipes such as Turmeric and Coconut Fish Curry, which features turmeric as a key ingredient.

  • Other uses for turmeric…

    Add a pinch of turmeric next time you make scrambled tofu. It will give the tofu a bright yellow color that could fool any egg-lover into thinking they’re eating the real deal. Toss root vegetables such as sweet potato, turnip, and carrots with turmeric and olive oil before roasting. Or, next time you’re making curried butternut squash soup, add a teaspoon or two of turmeric to boost the nutritional value and deepen the orange color of the concoction.

A Word of Caution About Turmeric Stains

One unfortunate aspect of using turmeric (especially fresh turmeric) to make golden milk or any other recipe is its potent ability to stain surfaces on contact. Like beets, turmeric will transfer its bright color to anything it touches, including dishes, countertops, clothing, hands, and nails, which makes it a both great all-natural food dye and a threat to anything you want to keep from yellowing. To ward off stains, consider the following:

  • Dishes

    The most important thing when dealing with turmeric stains is to act as quickly as possible. For most dishes, a solution of 2-to-1 hot water to bleach should work, especially when left to sit overnight. The same ratio can be used with white vinegar in place of the bleach, the only caveat being that it will take considerable more elbow grease to fully remove the stain.

  • Countertops

    For countertops, use a paste made from equal parts baking soda and hot water to clean, spreading a thin layer and then allowing it to sit for 15 minutes before scrubbing clean with a sponge (if this ultimately fails, a Magic Eraser can be used on countertops without a glossy finish).

  • Clothing

    Time is especially of the essence when it comes to clothing. Wash immediately with cold water and soap and allow your garment to air dry. Repeat as necessary to fully remove the stain.

  • Hands and Nails

    Add lemon juice or a very small amount of hydrogen peroxide to a bowl with cold water and soak your hands to remove turmeric stains. Scrub them with hot water and soap to further lighten any stains that remain after the initial treatment.

For more information on this beautiful beverage, check out our video:

Categories
Life x Culture Lifestyle

Thank You For Your Service: 5 Ways To Show Gratitude This Veterans Day

I was smitten with my now-husband the minute I saw a picture of him in his dress whites, looking just like Richard Gere in An Officer and a Gentleman. As a naval flight officer, my husband has flown over the Middle East. He’s spent months on an aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. He has served his country for the past 10 years.
And yet, like most active-duty and military veterans, he’s the kind of guy who doesn’t even want to use his military discount, lest someone thank him for his service. When they do, he gets embarrassed.
When Veterans Day rolls around, he doesn’t feel he deserves the thanks because there are veterans who have given more in service to their country.
And, he contends, Veterans Day isn’t the day to honor active-duty service members. There is a day for recognizing the courage and commitment of active-duty service members: Armed Forces Day. This lesser known holiday is celebrated on the third Saturday in May, usually about a week before Memorial Day (which is a day to honor only those veterans who have died in service of their country).
Still, there are 21.8 million military veterans living in the United States today, and they all deserve our respect and gratitude this Veterans Day.
While posting a heartfelt message on social media is touching, here are five even higher-impact ways you can show gratitude this Veterans Day.

1. Take time to listen.

You might not know anyone currently serving in the military, but odds are you know a veteran who served during World War II, the Korean War, or Vietnam.
A rapidly aging population, these veterans are among the 28 percent of Americans age 65 and older who live alone.
Senior citizens who live alone face higher mortality rates and are more at risk for chronic health issues than those who interact socially.
One way to show gratitude this Veterans Day is to reach out to a veteran and start a conversation.
Not sure how to find a veteran?
One way to start the conversation is to volunteer for the Department of Veterans Affairs. You can drive veterans to doctors’ appointments or plan welcome-home events for service members. Each volunteer event is an opportunity to form a relationship with a veteran, learn more about their time in the military, and thank them for their service.

2. Show up.

The easiest thing you can do to express your thanks this Veterans Day is to simply show up at a Veterans Day parade, ceremony, or other veterans-appreciation event in your area.
Not only are Veterans Day parades and other events family friendly, but they also give veterans a chance to reconnect, meet other veterans, and talk to civilians about their service.
Your local news outlet should have information about upcoming Veterans Day activities in your area, so dust off your lawn chair, wave an American flag, and celebrate veterans as our servicemen and women march down Main Street.

3. Learn about military life.

If you don’t know any veterans personally, one of the most important things you can do is learn more about what it means to serve our country through military service.
Visit a military museum exhibit or war memorial. Check out a history book from your local library. One of my personal favorites is The Things They Carried, a Tim O’Brien novel about young soldiers in Vietnam. Or watch a documentary, like Restrepo, that shows what life in combat zones is like and how hard adjusting to civilian life can be for veterans when they return home.

4. Realize not all veterans wear combat boots.

There are thousands of men and women who have stood alongside their spouses and partners as they served their country. These military spouses, partners, and families have made sacrifices too, even though they never wore a uniform.
Do you know a military family? Reach out to them this Veterans Day with a call or a card. If you don’t, that’s okay. You can adopt a military family through Operation Here We Are, sending them care packages while their service member is deployed or inviting them to your home for the holidays.

5. Give to a good cause.

Gratitude is good for the soul—and your health. Studies have shown that stress levels are 23 percent lower in people who consider themselves to be grateful. People who express their gratitude through service are happier and healthier than those who do not.
This Veterans Day, if you don’t know a veteran personally, you can still show your gratitude, doing good for service members and yourself by donating to or planning time to volunteer for a veterans organization.
Here are four that earned the highest ratings from CharityNavigator.org, a site that helps you donate to trustworthy organizations. And we’re adding one that supports veterans in their pursuit of wellness through mindfulness and meditation.

Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Charitable Service Trust

Disabled American Veterans Trust was founded in 1920 after disabled service members came home from World War I and has continued to provide support for all disabled veterans. DAV helps veterans get to medical appointments, file insurance paperwork, and find meaningful employment. With 1,300 chapters nationwide, you can volunteer or donate here.

Honor Flight Network

The Honor Flight Network is a non-profit organization that flies World War II veterans to visit World War II memorials in Washington, DC. It may not seem like much, but many of these veterans have never seen the memorials that have been erected to their brothers in arms—and to their own service. It can be a hugely emotional event for veterans as they revisit sometimes painful memories, but ultimately, Honor Flights works to provide veterans with much-needed closure.
After every WWII veteran who is able to travel sees their memorial, Honor Flight Network will move on to Korean War and Vietnam veterans. You can donate here, or if you know a WWII veteran who would like to participate, start the application process.

Homes for our Troops

When you think about veterans, you might think of your grandfather who served in World War II or the Korean War, but post-9/11 veterans make up 18 percent of the total veteran population. More than one in four of those veterans have a service-related disability, which makes coming home extremely difficult. Homes for our Troops builds houses for post-9/11 veterans with severe disabilities. These adapted homes give veterans some of their dignity back. There are several ways to get involved, from running a 5k to donating building materials.

Our Military Kids

Kids often suffer loneliness, anxiety, and fear while their parent is deployed. Our Military Kids supports kids from kindergarten to twelfth grade through grants to pay for activities that help them cope with the stress of having a parent in the military. You can support Our Military Kids by volunteering at events or simply donating financially. 

Veteran’s Path

Many of us are exploring mindfulness and meditation to augment our own well-being. This Veterans Day, we can support veterans in doing the same. Veteran’s Path facilitates a variety of programs that focus on helping veterans cultivate peace, acceptance, transformation, and honor through nature-based experiences that teach mindfulness and meditation techniques. Civilians can donate, or if you know a veteran who is interested in developing a meditation practice, consider sharing Veteran’s Path’s Guided Meditation library.

Categories
Nosh

Food & Entertaining Gift Ideas

Disclaimer: Just so you know, if you order an item through one of our posts, we may get a small share of the sale.

What’s the one thing that everyone has in common, no matter how tough they are to buy gifts for? They all eat, and many of the people on your nice list probably like to cook, too!
That doesn’t mean you can wrap up any old dish and wow your friends and family, though. We scoured the internet to find the most interesting, unique, and hard-to-find food and entertaining items available. Here are some great presents for anyone on your list who loves to host dinner parties—or just to eat.

1. Cast-iron Dutch ovens are a kitchen essential, and here we have one of the best in the world.

This enameled cast-iron Dutch oven from Le Creuset holds 7.25 quarts of whatever you’re preparing with even heat and reliable temperature retention. Choose from 12 gorgeous shades of enamel to match the lucky recipient’s kitchen color palette perfectly.
This is the lightest-weight cast-iron Dutch oven we could find, but it still offers larger handles designed to fit into an oven-mitted palm. The knob on the lid stands up to 500 degrees of heat for dependable, long-time usage. This premium piece of enameled cast-iron will last for generations so you might just be gifting an heirloom.

2. Who has room in the kitchen for a pressure cooker, a steamer, and a slow cooker? Make a gift of all three in one handy device instead.

Give the culinary enthusiast in your life a one-piece marvel from leading brand Crockpot with this 6-quart, 8-in-1 multicooker. It slow cooks for incredible stews and pot roasts and works as a pressure cooker and a steam cooker as well. Try the “brown and sauté” setting to start the dish off right.

This easy-to-use, all-in-one cooking machine has eight settings that can be used to cook common foods in a hurry. If you have a little more time, though, you can always throw in a roast and slow cook it for up to 12 hours. This multicooker does everything but dice the carrots for you.

3. Nothing says “holiday season” like a cozy house filled with an inviting scent.

The NEST fragrances reed diffuser fills a house or apartment with a blend of pomegranate, Mandarin orange, cloves, and cinnamon. Hints of vanilla and amber round out the irresistible scent, making it the perfect gift for anyone on your list, particularly the tireless holiday host or hostess. 
 
The custom-designed glass has light traces of gold and slowly releases fragrance into the air over the course of 90 days. NEST reed diffusers are crafted with high-quality fragrance oils to fill the air with a subtle but memorable scent.

4. For an unforgettable gift, empower your favorite coffee lover to become an at-home barista.

A Nespresso Creatista Plus makes it easy to create cafe-quality espressos, lattes, and more. It features automatic milk texturing and a three-second heat-up time.
 
This top-of-the-line machine gives its user precise control over every element of their milk and beans. It’s simple to use and creates a professional caliber drink every time whether you choose a ristretto, espresso, lungo, latte, cappuccino, flat white, latte macchiato, or milk froth.

5. Nine out of 10 people who love entertaining agree: Only cloth napkins will do for special occasions.

Actually, we never conducted that survey, so we’re sort of guessing there. But what we do know is that you’ll thrill your favorite host with a set of 12 Egyptian cotton dinner napkins, attractively tied together with a delicate band. Paper napkins simply can’t compete with these elegant, reusable essentials.
Cloth napkins are great gifts for anyone who’s looking to reduce their ecological footprint, too. Paper napkins create waste, while these durable Egyptian cotton alternatives provide a lifetime of lip-dabbing without adding to landfills.

6. Grillmasters will go gaga for a grill set made entirely from stainless steel. Bonus: The set comes packaged in a convenient carrying case.

Looking for the perfect gift for your favorite outdoor chef? This 14-piece stainless-steel collection of grilling tools from Cuisinart fits the bill perfectly. It includes a durable steel spatula, tongs, four pairs of corn spears, and a grill-cleaning brush with a spare head. All of this comes conveniently packaged in a handsome aluminum case.

The spatula hides an integrated bottle opener and all the tools feature end rings for easy hanging. If you’re buying for someone who lives for barbecue season, this is the perfect gift.

7. If it’s one of Oprah’s favorite things, it’s probably worth checking out.

This 10-piece Seville Series Cookware set from Fleischer and Wolf has handles and interiors made of stainless steel with hammered copper exteriors. A thick, heat-radiating aluminum core helps control and retain heat in each pot and pan.

These durable vessels are inspired by the cookware of the southern Andalusia region of Spain and are built to last a lifetime. The copper exterior takes on an attractive aged look the more someone uses it, attesting to all the meals they’ve crafted and enjoyed.

8. Many print magazines have fallen out of favor, but sometimes they’re a lot handier than an e-version.

A subscription to Real Simple gives busy people easy solutions to everyday problems. Recipes can be ripped out to make shopping trips and cooking a cinch.

And cooking is just the tip of the iceberg with this dynamic magazine. Subscribers will learn tips on organization, shopping, decorating, and even relaxing. Everything in the magazine aims to simplify life and reduce stress. Who couldn’t use that during the holidays? 

9. Some kitchen gadgets do just one thing—a select few can help with breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The Breville Panini Press delivers a crisp, fluffy sandwich every time thanks to its Crush Control hinge design. The adjustable-height mechanism helps the chef achieve a perfect texture on the outside without smashing the inner contents into a dense blob.

This innovative press is great for breakfast sandwiches, quesadillas, toasted wraps, and even open-face sandwiches. Its compact design takes up little space, and it can even be stored vertically for a smaller footprint.

10. Give the gift of sous vide, a cooking technique that was previously only available to chefs in the finest restaurants in the world.

Sous vide cooking is easy with the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker. It’s an immersible cooking tool unlike any other. It brings any pot of water to a precise temperature, circulating the water and applying the perfect level of heat to the entire surface of the meal. This ensures even cooking, moisture retention, and an all-around superior dish.

The Anova Precision Cooker even integrates with a cell phone app so you can control it from anywhere. Sous vide cooking can take a while, but the Anova Culinary app will let the cook know exactly when their meal is complete. No more waiting around in the kitchen (unless they really want to).

11. Take their holiday cheese board to the next level with this bamboo beauty.

Deluxe cheeses deserve a deluxe presentation, and that’s exactly what you get with the Bambüsi bamboo cheese board and cutlery set, which comes complete with a slide-out drawer for your cheese-cutting knives. All-natural bamboo is the ideal material for serving cheese. It’s nonporous, easy to clean, and it won’t absorb colors or odors from the evening’s hors d’oeuvres.

Four types of cheese knives are included in the set and stored in its gorgeous slide-out drawer. Meanwhile, a groove running around the sizable board serves as a great place to store crackers, nuts, grapes, or olives. This is a great gift for anyone who loves to host.  

12. For the host or hostess who believes presentation is everything, this beautiful salt and pepper mill set is the perfect gift.

Simple seasoning often makes or breaks a meal, and the Cole and Mason Oldbury Wooden Salt and Pepper Mill gift set provides some of the finest seasonings in the world. These classy wooden grinders come pre-loaded with coarse sea salt and fine peppercorns, so the lucky recipient is ready to start seasoning right out of the box.

Most mills give up after a year or two, but these will last a lifetime thanks to a precision carbon steel grinder in the pepper grinder and diamond-sharpened ceramic teeth in the salt mill.

13. Give your loved one a beautiful presentation option that subtly flavors food with all-natural Himalayan salt.

The Himalayan Salt Plate and Holder Set from Charcoal Companion can’t be beat in terms of style, and this solid block of salt will even impart a hint of flavor. The chef in your life can use it as a cooking surface on a gas range or a grill, or put it in the fridge to keep food cool while they serve guests.
Best of all, the gorgeous pink salt block naturally repels microbes, so there’s virtually no cleanup required. Choose this gift for anyone on your list who loves spending time in the kitchen or throwing great dinner parties.

14. Has there ever been a food processor that had so many functions?

The Ninja Intelli-Sense System comes with four high-performance attachments that automatically communicate with the base. Once an attachment is secured, the base adjusts the speed, power, and torque, and displays an attachment-specific menu accordingly.

Turn veggies into gluten-free pasta, fruits into delicious smoothies, and even make healthy snow cones—all with the push of a button. This all-in-one crushing pitcher/precision processor/blender cup/auto-spiralizer will change the way a family eats for the better.

15. A good appetizer board has plenty of room for fruits, nuts, crackers, meat, and/or cheese.

This server tray from Montes Doggett is simple and elegant with plenty of room for whatever a host is serving. It features a compartment for sauce and a ton of real estate for crudités, bruschetta, tapas, and more.  

It looks great filled with food on a table or hanging by its perforated handle on a pot rack. The tray can be cleaned hassle-free with soap and warm water.

More Gifts They’ll Love:


Categories
Fitness Advice x Motivation Sweat

How To Maintain Your Shape (And Sanity) While Recovering From An Injury

Like many women, I use habitual exercise not only as a way to stay fit and bolster my health but also as a way to keep myself from going all-out nuts. The endorphin boost, the release of anxious or angry energy, and even just the time to get out of my head and into my body are all among the reasons that exercise is way at the top of my self-care regimen.
So what happens when an unexpected injury sends you to the sidelines? You lose that all-important outlet and need to develop some new strategies to maintain your physical and emotional health.
About six years ago I developed a chronic overuse injury in my right leg (the generic term is runner’s knee) that made running, walking, and sometimes even just standing super painful. That should’ve been an indication for me to stop, right?
Well, I was stubborn, and I made that classic amateur mistake of confusing pain for the discomfort we’ve been told is part of athleticism.
I had become so reliant on long-distance, steady-state cardio for controlling my weight and keeping my anxiety in check that I just couldn’t follow doctor’s orders of staying off it long enough for it to fully heal. I kept returning too soon, re-injuring myself repeatedly for more than a year—a cycle that was vicious enough to eventually land me crying and limping into an orthopedic surgeon’s office.
What could I have done differently to help myself [linkbuilder id=”6442″ text=”stay sane”] and healthy while I needed a rest? Oh so many things.

Get your wiggles and your crazies out.

This is what I tell my toddler when she’s acting up or showing destructive behavior. I make her jump around waving her arms and legs for as long as she can before flopping over. And this is basically what I’m doing for myself when I make sure I get my workouts in.
Did you know you can become addicted to exercise, which means you might suffer withdrawal symptoms without it? Exercise has long been known to benefit a restless or depressed mind, and when you can’t get it because of injury, illness, or whatever reason, you may suffer if you don’t re-calibrate your mental health self-care to account for the missing piece.
For example, my surgeon, who happened to also be a cancer-surviving, award-winning triathlete, told me that the only way he kept his sanity when a punishing cancer treatment schedule sidelined him from triathlon training was fanatically doing crossword puzzles during his time in the hospital.
Whatever it is—meditating, getting massages, or even just obsessing over a new murder mystery series—finding other ways to stay focused, giving yourself an endorphin boost, or mitigating an unsettled mind can be key to staying sane while on a layoff from exercise.

The 411 on Active Rest

Just because you have an injury, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be completely confined to the couch.
Let me stress that you should follow doctor’s orders here, but depending on the severity and location of your injury, there may be some forms of exercise that are still available to you while you recover. Working out while working around a specific body part or group of muscles is part of the concept of cross-training, which can keep you going strong and injury free when done correctly.
For example, many common fitness injuries have to do with overuse of one muscle group or repeated pounding damage to one joint. If you find a form of activity that doesn’t exacerbate your injury (a professional trainer or physical therapist can help you with this), you’re golden.
So if you injured your knee from repetitive high impact to the joint (like I did), you might be able to cross-train by switching to cycling, swimming, aqua-jogging, or even hand-cycling if your gym has that machine. In fact, adding biking and swimming to my routine is how I made the evolution from runner and yogi to include hobby triathlete. So, silver lining? Yep.

Keeping It Tight in the Kitchen

Have you heard the phrase “you can’t outrun a bad diet”? If you’re sidelined from working out while you’re on a weight loss journey—or even just on a lifelong mission to maintain a healthy body—losing the metabolism-boosting and calorie-burning effects of exercise can feel devastating.
Still, remembering that you have control over the food you eat can put things back in perspective. If you’re burning fewer calories throughout the day because you’re resting more and exercising less (or not at all), then you can adjust your calorie intake to make sure you won’t gain weight during your recovery. And if weight and body composition is your main concern while injured, you will feel buoyed to know the results of several studies say that diet is overall more important to sustained weight loss than exercise output. The takeaway? Adjust your food intake to fit with your altered physical output and stay on track.

Getting Back out There on the Quick

No matter how much encouragement and well-meaning advice you get while you’re recovering from an injury, the fact remains that you just want to heal and get back to your grind, right?
In addition to your efforts to stay fit and positive while you allow yourself the time to heal, remember to make use of those tried and true quick recovery methods: RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation), eating nutritious meals, and even alternative recovery methods like getting massages and acupuncture have been shown to help. In the end, follow the advice from your doctor, stay focused, and know you’ll be back on top of your game soon.