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Lets slow down and enjoy the holidays

Did you find enough time to enjoy Thanksgiving? One wouldn't want to slow down and actually talk to someone during a meal, let alone consider swallowing and digesting our Thanksgiving meal before heading out to SHOP Thursday night! Let's be real, what is the big hurry? You would think that Americans couldn't wait to stand in line to support the Chinese economy. Heaven forbid that Americans would have to, well, relax with family and friends for an entire day.

On the other hand, Thanksgiving had been dominated by football for far too long, but now the other half of America can enjoy their favorite sport—shopping. Before long, I am sure that Congress will allow you to "Itemize" shopping as a deductible expense from your income taxes. Why you ask? Because soon the lofty legislators from the hallowed halls of Congress will realize that to actually go out and physically shop requires exercise and when one shops they buy, buy, buy, and that is good for the economy. And voila, the Anti-Obesity Shopping Stimulus Act will be overwhelmingly passed and enacted by Congress.
 
But there will be detractors, like Amazon and other fine online retailers, clamoring for their fair share of stimulus dollars. Feeling left out, they will appeal to Congress to pass the Overeaters Stimulus Bill that would encourage Americans to shop from their pajamas and conserve fossil fuels, since they are no longer able to button their skinny jeans and take advantage of the Anti-Obesity Shopping Stimulus Act.
 
Yes, Americans everywhere can rest assured that Congress will do all it can to pass very little meaningful legislation. So it will be up to us fellow Americans to buy only those gifts that will add value, not to overspend, and not to go into credit card debt this Christmas. And just maybe our congressional legislators will take a nod from main street and not Wall Street, when they see us average Americans making good financial choices—the kind of choices that help our family live within our financial means.
 
My goals for the Christmas season are simple: enjoy family, friends, and good food. My goal for New Years is that my scale will say the same as it did today (give or take a pound).
 
Cheers for a wonderful Christmas season! 
 
 
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Healthy Holiday Eating

Are you rushing around yet? It's the season for holiday plans, schedules, and entertaining friends and family. It's also a time of dietary excess, increased stress, and let's not forget colds and flu. Statistics show that December is the most stressful month of the year. That, and the cold weather alone, can wreak havoc on a person. Rest assured! There are things you can do to prepare yourself for the holidays and prevent certain discomforts that can accompany this season.

 
Growing up in my family, it was considered impolite not to sample food being offered, especially if Grandma made it. We would eat and eat, sometimes having three to four holiday meals in one day! Some of you can no doubt identify with this situation. To help you avoid overeating during the holidays, here are some tips. 
 
First, avoid starving yourself early in the day to "save room" for the holiday meal. The easiest way to overeat is to create maximum hunger this way. Small frequent meals are always better. 
 
Second, remember to drink plenty of water. This will prevent you from serving and eating a huge portion which you will "have to finish," since you "don't want it to go to waste." 
 
Third, decide on a maximum and reasonable portion size for the meal and stick to it. After eating, drink some hot herbal tea to promote relaxation.
 
With too much good food comes heartburn. To decrease your chance of getting the discomfort and pain of heartburn, start the meal with apple cider vinegar. This helps increase digestive enzymes and break down foods faster. Another way to avoid stomach upset is to use deglycyrrhized licorice (DGL). Licorice is an herb that stimulates the cells lining your digestive tract to produce mucus. The mucus, in turn, protects the stomach and esophagus from digestive acid. DGL can help tremendously with heartburn or food-related excess stomach acid or if you have esophageal reflux (backflow of stomach acid). A typical prescription is to chew and swallow two 400mg tablets 10 minutes before each meal to help keep your digestive tract in order. Talk to your ND to find out what's best for you. 
 
by Rebecca Dirks, N.D.
Associate Physician, NW Center for Optimal Health in Marysville
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The Nutritional Power of Pumpkins

by Maylin Rodriguez-Paez, RN
 
Pumpkins are not just Halloween decorations — they’re also total nutritional powerhouses. 
 
In fact, both the flesh and the seeds of pumpkins contain a number of beneficial nutrients that can help prevent disease and promote health. 
 
So before you trash the remains of that freshly carved pumpkin you’ve put on your porch for Halloween, consider giving both the flesh and the seeds a try.
 
Don’t be surprised if your taste buds and body thank you for tricking them into a new treat-of-choice.

Pumpkins are a Figure-Friendly Food

If you’re watching your weight, you should definitely work pumpkin in your diet. And no, we’re not just talking about pumpkin pie.
 
The orange “meat” is very low in calories (30 calories per cup) and carbs, with about 8 grams per serving1. It’s also rich in fiber, which helps to fill you up.
 
Pumpkin works great as a side dish with your favorite meals and has fewer calories than a serving of rice or potatoes.

Pumpkins are Rich in Antioxidants

The nutrient content of pumpkins, specifically in terms of antioxidants, is another great reason to start eating them. Here are two key antioxidants that make pumpkins such an excellent choice.
 

1. Carotenoids

The pumpkin’s beautiful orange color is due to beta-carotene, a disease-preventing antioxidant. You should make it a point to get enough daily.
 
Diets rich in beta-carotene may protect against cancer2 and heart disease3. Also, it plays an important role in the skin, where it helps to guard against sun damage.4
 
Other carotenoids found in pumpkin flesh include zeaxanthin and lutein,1 which enhance vision.5 

2. Gamma-Tocopherol

Pumpkin seeds are a great source of gamma-tocopherol,6 a potent form of vitamin E.
 
Gamma-tocopherol plays different roles in the human body. Scientists have discovered that it protects the brain from Alzheimer’s disease.7 In addition it’s been shown to prevent LDL oxidation, a risk factor for heart disease.8

Pumpkins Contain Lignans — Powerful Anti-Cancer Compounds 

Pumpkin seeds contain lignans,9 which are estrogen-like compounds that are good for your body. Lignans are “weak estrogens” that favorably bind to estrogen receptors to help protect against cancerous growths.
 
Studies indicate that a diet rich in lignans may prevent different types of cancers, including cancers of the prostate10 and colon.11 
 
One study found that eating pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and soybeans (all rich in lignans) was associated with a lower risk of breast cancer.12

Pumpkins Protect Prostate Tissue

Pumpkin seed extract blocks the activity of 5-alpha reductase,13 an enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT (dihydrotestosterone), a very potent form of testosterone.
 
DHT causes prostate tissue to grow and is implicated in conditions like prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia (non-cancerous prostate growth), and even male pattern baldness. Levels tend to be elevated in aging men.
 
One study showed that men with benign prostatic hyperplasia had improvements in urinary flow and frequency after taking pumpkin seed extract.14 
Recipe: Curried Pumpkin Soup
This fall make it a point to try pumpkin in a few different ways. For example, here's a recipe for a delicious pumpkin soup that will give your taste buds a serious treat, courtesy of the website Epicurious.
 
Ingredients:
2 medium onions, finely chopped (2 cups) 
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large garlic cloves, minced 
1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger 
2 teaspoons ground cumin 
1 teaspoon ground coriander 
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom 
1 1/2 teaspoons salt 
3/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes 
2 (15-oz) cans solid-pack pumpkin (3 1/2 cups) or fresh pumpkin puree
4 cups water 
1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (12 fl oz) 
1 (14-oz) can unsweetened coconut milk (not low-fat) 
1/4 cup olive oil 
2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds 
8 fresh curry leaves 
 
Preparation:
Cook onions in butter in a wide, 6-quart, heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add cumin, coriander, and cardamom and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in salt, red pepper flakes, pumpkin, water, broth, and coconut milk and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth, transferring to a large bowl, and return soup to pot. Keep soup warm over low heat.
 
Heat oil in a small, heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot. Then cook mustard seeds until they begin to pop, about 15 seconds. Add curry leaves and cook 5 seconds. Then pour mixture into pumpkin soup. Stir until combined well and season soup with salt.
 
Happy Halloween, everyone – enjoy!
 
References:
1. http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2600/2
2. Molecules. 2012 Mar 14;17(3):3202-42.
3. Ann Epidemiol. 1995 Jul;5(4):255-60.
4. Dermatology. 2010;221(2):160-71. 
5. Eur J Ophthalmol. 2012 Mar-Apr;22(2):216-25.
6. Z Lebensm Unters Forsch. 1996 Apr;202(4):275-8.
7. Nitric Oxide. 2002 Mar;6(2):221-7.
8. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther. 1999 Oct;4(4):219-226.
9. J Agric Food Chem. 2003 Feb 26;51(5):1181-8.
10. Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2006 Dec;31(24):2021-5, 2093.
11. Carcinogenesis. 1996 Jun;17(6):1343-8.
12. Nutr Cancer. 2012;64(5):652-65. 
13. Nutr Res Pract. 2009 Winter; 3(4): 323–327.
14. Br J Urol. 1990 Dec;66(6):639-41.