QUOTE OF THE MONTH
What did you do with the strength and energy that your food gave you on Earth?
-- Rumi
WINTER ISSUE EDITOR'S LETTER
Winter Greetings! With the cold weather, it's often difficult to get motivated around making healthy diet and lifestyle choices. For this reason, I'm offering a free month of health counseling to anyone who signs up a Health Counseling program this month (see offer below). If you've been considering doing the program this is a great opportunity to take the plunge at a considerably reduced rate! My website, www.SimplyLivingWell.net, is in the process of being updated. One major improvement is that it's now much easier to sign up to receive this newsletter. If you have friends and family who would also like a subscription, please send them to the website where they can simply type in their e-mail address and start receiving it right away. Also, past newsletters are now archived on the site so if you're looking for old articles and recipes you can check there to find them. In the next few months, there will be more information about my Health and Wellness Training Series (see below), more and easier to access recipes, and additional testimonials about my individual programs and trainings. As always, I'd love to hear back from you about the website and the newsletter, so please e-mail me with suggestions and ideas of what to include for the future. Stay warm! Katherine
WEBSITE OF THE MONTH: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
www.nccam.nih.gov The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) was established by Congress in 1998 to “explore complementary and alternative healing practices in the context of rigorous science, train complementary and alternative medicine researchers, and disseminate authoritative information to the public and professionals.” It is 1 of the 27 institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This is a great resource if you are interested in researching alternative approaches to healing, or even just learning more about the options available in conjunction with Western practices. The site has areas to search by treatments and therapies, diseases and conditions, and dietary and herbal supplements, as well as advice on finding the therapies and practitioners that could be most helpful to you. If you are new to the ideas of complementary and alternative health care, this is a very accessible and reputable site which can help you make informed decisions for yourself and your family.
FEBRUARY SPECIAL! 1 FREE MONTH OF HOLISTIC HEALTH COUNSELING PROGRAM
For the month of February you can sign up for a 6-month Holistic Health Counseling Program, with all the benefits listed below, and receive one month free. This is a great opportunity to get off to a healthy start in 2005, don't miss out! HOLISTIC HEALTH COUNSELING PROGRAM Nutrition is a fundamental aspect of health. The food we eat becomes part of our blood cells, which then feed our tissues and vital organs. When we eat food that has limited nutritional value, our cells weaken. When we eat quality foods our bodies reflect that nourishment through vitality, balance and joy. Whole, natural foods--vegetables, whole grains, beans, fruits--are quality foods. By shifting your diet to healthy, balanced, quality foods, you can support your body to heal itself and prevent future disease. Working together, we will discuss all the issues that contribute to your relationship with health and nutrition. Often our health concerns arise from a lack of attention to our mental, physical, spiritual and emotional needs. Holistic health care addresses all of these needs equally. As a result of our work together you will feel healthier, more energized, and you will have the skills to maintain this state of wellness for years to come! My fully supported 6-month Health Counseling Program includes : ** Two 50-minute phone counseling sessions per month, including notes and follow-up suggestions ** Books, tapes, CDs, videos, articles and magazine subscription with a focus on individual health concerns and goals ** Cookbooks, quick, easy to cook recipes, and healthy cooking video ** Supplements, lifestyle and self-care aids, and other materials ** 24-hour e-mail support ** Monthly e-mail newsletter with recipes, articles and tips for
healthy living Call or e-mail to schedule a FREE one-hour initial consultation about
the 6-month Holistic Health Counseling Program. Simply Living Well
Because being well doesn't have to be complicated
1-877-509-3680 Katherine@SimplyLivingWell.net
SIMPLY LIVING WELL WELLNESS TRAINING SERIES
Over the past year and a half, I have been developing a series of Health and Wellness Training programs to bring the information I give to my individual clients to larger audiences. Most of the programs run from 1 to 1 1/2 hours and can be presented to staff during the lunch hour. Currently, I am conducting workshops to corporations and organizations on a variety of topics including: -- Stress Management through Dietary Change, Yoga and Meditation
-- Desk Yoga: Simple Practices to Reduce Stress at Work
-- Sugar Blues: Breaking the Cycle of Sugar Cravings
-- Cravings are the Answer! Using Your Cravings to Heal Your Body
-- Wheel of Life: Creating and Maintaining Life Balance
-- Finding the Connections Between Your Diet and Your Moods
-- Have More Energy! An Eating Plan to Help You Stay Vibrant
-- Weight Loss: Simple Tips to Help You Lose Weight and Improve Your Health Some of my past and current clients include: ** New York City Department of Health
** United Nations
** UNICEF
** UNDP
** United States Department of Agriculture
** The Hospital for Joint Diseases
** Embassy of Australia
** Nuclear Energy Institute
** Ethical Culture Society If your business or organization is interested in supporting its employees to better understand the connections between diet, lifestyle and health, please let them know about these exciting programs. This is a great opportunity to take the information available in this newsletter and make it available to a much wider audience of your co-workers and friends. If you would like more information about the Health and Wellness Training Series, please e-mail me at Katherine@SimplyLivingWell.net or call me directly at 1-877-509-3680.
Testimonials from recent Health and Wellness Training clients:
"The Nutrition & Wellness Program has been a wonderful addition to our Learning Program. We have always provided training on everyday skill development and ways to relieve life's stress, but when we incorporated the nutrition & wellness series, our employees could see how nutrition affected our day-to-day functions and productivity. Great program!!"
Eunice Deras, Nuclear Energy Institute "The wellness series was one of the best attended programs, and most highly regarded by both participants and management alike, which we have ever run at the Embassy. The program dispelled a lot of myths and provided the motivation, resources
and tools for participants to make real changes in their health and well-being. The knowledge, approachability and communication style of the presenters was excellent and participants particularly appreciated the ability of the presenters to tailor the program and provide hints to meet their specific individual needs." Larissa Jolly Human Resources Manager Policy & Programs Embassy of Australia
WARMING WINTER RECIPE: Mighty Miso Soup
Miso, or soybean paste, is a wonderful food for the winter and is high in protein and vitamins. Its fermentation supports the body's digestion and metabolism and in Japan it is reputed to help build resistance to illness. In Oriental Medicine it is used to treat arthritis, colitis, diabetes and hypoglycemia, and even assist in breast feeding. Interestingly, miso and seaweed are said to help rid the body of radiation, heavy metals like lead and strontium and other toxic substances. Elson Haas, in his book Staying Healthy with the Seasons, sites a story that in Hiroshima, after the bombings, one hospital which served miso daily to its patients reported a much lower incidence of radiation sickness and death than in the population at large or other hospitals. With miso, the darker the color the stronger its medicinal properties. Look for domestic, unpasteurized, and naturally fermented (instead of chemically fermented) varieties which can be found in the refrigerated sections of most health food stores. Mighty Miso Soup Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10-15 minutes
Yields: 4-5 servings Ingredients: 4-5 cups water
1-2 inch strip of wakame rinsed and soaked 5 minutes in 1 cup of water, until softened
1-2 cups thinly sliced vegetables of your choice, see note
4-5 teaspoons barley miso
2 scallions, finely chopped Directions: 1. Chop soaked wakame.
2. Discard soaking water or use on house plants for a boost of minerals.
3. Place water and wakame in a soup pot and bring to a boil.
4. Add root and ground vegetables first and simmer gently for 5 minutes or until tender.
5. Add leafy vegetables and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
6. Remove about 1/2 cup of liquid from pot and dissolve miso in it. Return it to the pot.
7. Reduce heat to very low, do not boil or simmer miso broth.
8. Allow this to cook 2-3 minutes.
Garnish with scallions and serve. Variations: Add cooked grains at the start of making the soup. They will become nice and soft.
Add a tablespoon of quinoa or millet at the beginning and let it cook with vegetables for 20 minutes.
Add cubed tofu toward the end.
Add bean sprouts toward the end.
Season with 1/2 teaspoon ginger juice for a great pungent taste.
If using dry shiitake mushrooms, let them soak for 20 minutes, slice and add at the beginning. Notes: Any combination of vegetables can be used in miso soup. Here are some classical combinations: onion-daikon, this combination is very cleansing
onion-carrot-shiitake mushroom-kale
leek-fresh corn-broccoli, great for summertime
onion-winter squash-cabbage, great in wintertime
ARTICLE: A Healthy World: Five Tips to Preserve Ecological Balance and Please Your Palate
Seeing the connection between our individual and the health of the planet can be a great motivator in making dietary and lifestyle changes. This article was first published in New Times Naturally a holistic magazine available in the Tampa Bay area, and can be found at this link: http://www.newtimesnaturally.com/Articles/2005/01_JanFeb/e51kja.html. A Healthy World: Five tips to preserve ecological balance and please your palate
By Katherine Jamieson, HHC My vegetarian conversion came at the age of fifteen, after attending the 20th anniversary of Earth Day in Washington, DC. For years, I had heard about the environmental crisis our planet was facing from my dad, a former lawyer for the Natural Resources Defense Council. Still, I had little concept of how my diet and lifestyle were impacting the world around me. At the Earth Day expo, I wandered alone through tables of ardent, young activists, expounding on everything from solar power to organic farming. Images of dolphins caught in nets during tuna harvesting, and baby cows imprisoned to be slaughtered for veal imprinted on my young mind, and I came home with stacks of brochures and flyers and a new passion for animal rights. What really made me turn the herbivore corner, however, was the recognition that world hunger could be solved if everyone was willing to become a vegetarian. I learned that the claim that there wasn’t enough food to go around just wasn’t accurate. In fact, there was plenty of food to feed the world’s population, perhaps 3-4 times as much as actually needed, but instead of being fed to people it was being fed to animals, in the form of livestock feed. I had grown up watching Sally Struthers crusade for money to feed the starving children in Ethiopia. I had read the plea, “For the price of a cup of coffee a day, you could feed a child in the developing world.” It seemed like a cruel joke that all of this could be avoided if people were simply willing to cut out or reduce their meat consumption. Soon, I began to phase meat out of my diet and call myself a “vegetarian,” which really just meant eating bagels and cream cheese for lunch instead of McDonald’s hamburgers. Flash forward fifteen years, and I am now working as a holistic health counselor, helping individuals address their health concerns through diet and lifestyle change. My work is gratifying because my clients are highly motivated. They want to get healthier and are willing to look critically at their food choices and habits in order to lose weight, feel more energetic, and solve a variety of health concerns from PMS to high blood pressure and insomnia. And, just like the Earth Day festival did for me, I feel a responsibility to open my clients’ eyes to the global ramifications of our day-to-day eating choices. Time and again, I find that making good choices around diet goes hand-in-hand with making socially responsible choices for the world. That is, decisions that keep us healthy as individuals are usually the ones that keep the world healthy, too. The following are the top five ways you can create a healthy, balanced, delicious diet for yourself, while at the same time reduce your impact on the environment. 1. Buy organic produce: Organic produce is the least taxing on the earth, using no pesticides or chemicals that harm the ecosystem, animals and the people who consume them. Buying organic also means avoiding foods that have been genetically modified or irradiated, as well as supporting the growing organic market in the United States. Some foods, such as strawberries, apples and peppers, require the use of more pesticides to grow, so choosing to buy these organic can have a big impact. Organic foods also taste better – do a taste test and see for yourself! 2. Buy local, seasonal produce: When you buy seasonal, local produce, you are allowing your body to enjoy the most appropriate foods for the season. Our bodies have adapted to living in a particular climate and when we introduce foods from other ecosystems, eating mangoes in the winter for instance, we can throw our bodies out of balance. Imported foods need to be treated with more chemicals to preserve them longer (one reason organic foods go bad faster) and an enormous amount of fuel is used to transport food from different regions around the country and the world. 3. Reduce animal products: Though I am no longer a vegetarian, having found that a small amount of meat in my diet helps keep me balanced, I only eat the highest quality animal products available. You can significantly reduce your exposure to the pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics given to animals by choosing to buy organic and free-range products, which are now available in many grocery stores. Animal products require an enormous amount of energy to produce, from growing the grains for feed to disposing of waste. The success we will have in handling our current environmental crisis depends largely on our ability to move toward a more grain-based diet. 4. Opt out of fast food: Fast food is one of the most destructive industries in the United States today. Many nutritionists believe that it is unsafe to consume a fast food meal more than once a month; the current epidemics of obesity and diabetes are clearly linked to the rise in consumption of fast food. You can have a great impact on your individual health by cutting fast food completely out of your diet and refusing to support an industry that continually ignores health and environmental warnings about its long-term impacts on the world. 5. Make it whole: Whole foods are foods that have only one ingredient: themselves. Kale is the only ingredient in kale, an apple is the only ingredient in an apple. They are not processed, artificialized, chemicalized, or manipulated in any way. By having a diet comprised mainly of fresh, whole foods, we can reduce the amount of energy it takes to make a meal. Canned, frozen, and otherwise processed foods require more energy to produce and transport, and are stored in wasteful, non-biodegradable packaging. Whole foods, like grains and beans, can often be purchased cheaply in bulk and stored in reusable containers. Just a few changes can go a long way toward redirecting the current course of our food production industry, so whatever steps you can take, however small, can make a big difference in your health and the health of the planet!
ABOUT KATHERINE JAMIESON, HOLISTIC HEALTH COUNSELOR AND WELLNESS TRAINER
Katherine was trained in Holistic Health Counseling through the Professional Training Program at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York, and certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. She was certified to teach yoga in 2001
through the New York Open Center Prana Yoga Teacher Training, instructed by Dr. Jeffrey Migdow, MD. She holds a B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from Wesleyan University. Before entering the Holistic Health field, Katherine was a Peace Corps volunteer for two years in Guyana, South America. Katherine is a Health and Wellness Trainer who specializes in conducting seminars on a variety of topics related to nutrition, life balance, stress reduction and wellness practices. She has been a speaker at the United Nations, UNICEF, UNDP, the United States Department of Agriculture, the New York City Department of Health, the Hospital for Joint Diseases, the Nuclear Energy Institute and the Embassy of Australia. Katherine also maintains a private practice which combines cutting-edge, holistic nutritional theory and yoga breathing and postures, to help people attain optimal health and well being in their lives. If you are interested in reading back issues of this newsletter, in publication since May 2003, please feel free to visit the web hosting site where you can find the full editions catalogued: http://zines.webvalence.com/sites/SimplyLivingWell/
Eat Some Chocolate, Feed the Birds and Go Look for that Shopping Cart in Your Basement, because February is:
- 2005 - Bake for Family Fun Month
- Berry Fresh in the Sunshine State Month
- Great American Pies Month
- National Bird Feeding Month - In January 1994, Illinois 10th District Congressman John Porter read a resolution in the Congressional Record making February National Bird Feeding Month. The observance was established because it's one of the most difficult months in much of the U.S. for birds to survive in the wild.
- National Grapefruit Month
- National Hot Breakfast Month
- National Snack Food Month
- North Carolina Sweet Potato Month
- Return Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month
THANK YOU FOR READING AND BE WELL!
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