by Lisa Beach, PhD, CHES

1. Feel stressed, stuck, anxious, tense, overworked, blah, or just too serious (any negative emotion that is something you don’t want, but have trouble changing).
2. Create chaos in the body (break the patterns!)—It’s like hitting the reset button.
3. Chemical and physical relaxation follows in the body.

Lisa K. Beach, Ph.D. Lately, I've been on somewhat of a sesame bender!

Celery, hummus, and sesame seeds!

Sesame seeds on your snacks are delicious, easy, and kids will eat them too!


One caution to note: If you have a condition called Hypercalciuria, you’re already tracking your oxalate intake, and you should know there is a small amount in unhulled sesame seeds.

 As I was looking through my kitchen, I wanted to find a food that not only had a high percentage of vitamins and minerals, but also could be useful in weight management and helping with satiety.   It was a quick search, as I just had to open my refrigerator and pull out a carton of organic eggs. 

I have been inspired to eat eggs as a protein source since I first saw the movie "Rocky" and watched Sylvester Stallone gulp down 5-6 raw eggs in one quick swoop.   (Surprisingly, as a young teenager,  I actually gulped down a good amount of raw eggs myself and did not get Salmonella or even a bellyache.) *Please Note- I do not recommend this as I was a typical head strong teenager with little common sense and raw eggs can cause Salmonella.

That being said, I still consume eggs every week.  I probably eat on average 8-12 eggs a week because they are easy to prepare, tasty and still a very good source of protein.  One large egg contains approximately 6 grams of protein with only 70 calories and is loaded with vitamins and minerals.  Eggs are a good source of selenium, Vitamin D, biotin and choline.

Choline deficiency is very common in the United States and choline has been found to be beneficial for liver health and the nervous system as well as helping to lower inflammation.  Eggs have also been found to be beneficial for eye health as they contain the flavonoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which are both potent antioxidants for preventing macular degeneration and cataracts.

Finally, eggs are not a threat to cholesterol levels and are actually being found to be heart protective.   Study after study now confirms that eating 2-3 eggs a day does not raise cholesterol and that eggs are actually heart protective.  (I had my own cholesterol checked last year and it was a healthy 174 with my HDL cholesterol at high level of 60. )  So go out and eat some eggs.  My favorite ways to prepare eggs are boiling, deviled or making various omelets with vegetables.

 
As I was thinking about what to write for this blog, I always go back to the behavior change technique known as  "shaping". Basically this process involves making small, achievable changes to get to your long-term goal. 

Let's look at someone who wants to start working out.  Mainstream marketing would have you believe that you can "Just Do It." and off you go getting into shape.  The reality is less than 50% of adults even participate in any daily physical activity, so maybe there are a few small changes needed prior to starting an exercise program.

Sometimes the first goal for a person should not be to start exercising, but to just get to the gym.  Getting to the gym for some people can be the most difficult part.- My students sometimes laugh at this as a first goal, but think about it.  How many steps does it take to get to the gym? First, the person has to make time in their schedule. Try to find a regular interruption free time that works.  Are mornings better or afternoons? Next, the person has to find a gym that has the right atmosphere and also works with their budget.  Is the gym overly crowded at the time you want to work out and does it have the right equipment needed for working towards your goals?

After you decide the place to workout, then you have to check and see if you have workout clothes?  Are your sneakers worn out? Do your workout clothes still fit or do you need to go shopping?  What about other fitness "stuff" to help you reach your goals- such as a workout journal, your iPod with motivating workout music, a watch or even a heart rate monitor?

Finally, do you prefer to work out alone or do you do better with a workout partner?  If you do need a partner, now you have to see if your schedule works with that person.  Once that is set up, you are now set to go to the gym. Pat yourself on the back, because you have already overcame many hurdles to start exercising regularly.