by Lucy | Jan 2, 2018 | biblical counseling, emotions, whole health wellness
Who doesn’t need a mood-boost? A routine prescription for women with depression and anxiety is exercise. Regular physical activity of any sort can lift sagging spirits.
A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. Proverbs 15:13, ESV
Even Exercise-Lite Boosts Your Mood
At the Cooper Aerobics Research Institute, 120 volunteers followed the standard gym recommendations and another 120 volunteers tried exercise-lite. Both groups on average reduced their blood pressure by eight points, lowered total cholesterol, and gained about the same amount of muscle and dropped about the same amount of fat.
What about boosting endorphins while exercising-lite? They got that too.
But for a bigt boost, it seems you must stress muscles for the release of the endorphins. Remember, you don’t have to train for the Olympics to get a mood boost from exercise.
Click & Tweet!
So get up and get moving.
And break a sweat! A shiny glow looks good on you.
Click & Tweet!
Pick an exercise you like! For me, walking wins. Early in the day, I grab my sneakers and walk. In the evening, I stretch and do some simple exercises like push-ups. Once you figure out which exercise works best for you, make a plan and do it.
Making a New Mood-Boost Habit
Making a new habit and sticking with it is the most difficult part for most of us because new habits must be formed. Beth, a soft-spoken, 20-something who has mild anxiety, would like to lose five pounds and feel physically better.
Then I told her about the mood-boosting effects of exercise, and she said she’d start for sure. Awareness is the first step, isn’t it?
What’s next? Here are 3 quick tips toward making a new mood-boost habit:
1. Put it on your calendar. You write “dentist visit” on your calendar, don’t you? So why schedule exercise? Be specific. Select a time, days, and place.
2. Be realistic. Be safe. Most people the greatest success in forming a new exercise habit when they build on beginning successes. If you choose walking and are a healthy beginner, start with a daily 10-minute walk at a moderate pace, for instance. The next week add 5 minutes to your daily walk. Add another 5 minutes the following week and so on. Once you reach 30 to 60 minutes of walking daily, you’ve developed an amazing mood-boost habit. (Check with your doctor before beginning an exercise program.)
3. Reward yourself. Each time you complete your exercise, give yourself a small reward. It could be as simple as a smiley face on your calendar to something a bit more extravagant, such as $5 toward a purchase. At the end of the week, grab your stash and go for lunch with a friend, take in a movie, or buy something fun.
Counseling Hearts to Hope,
by Lucy | Feb 23, 2017 | biblical counseling, emotions, whole health wellness
RECIPES: Did you know what you eat affects your mood?
Here are four eco-friendly,
energizing,
mood-enhancing
healthy and oh-so-delicious recipes for you.
These recipes were first published in my book Energy Eating, Peak Nutrition for Maximum Physical Performance, Brain Power, Body Strength and Mood Enhancement!
What makes these recipes eco-friendly? They’re vegetarian! Eating green is earth-friendly because it make the best use of the earth’s resources. Also, they’re light on sugar, which affects mood, and high in healthy plant-based protein, carbs, and fats that help improve your mood. Let me know if you’d like more mood-enhancing recipes.
Quick Black Bean Burritos
Need a speedy dinner? This dish pairs legumes and healthy carbs — and it’s ready in just 20 minutes.
Sauce:
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
One 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 to 2 Tbs. minced green chilies, fresh or canned, seeded
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Burritos:
Eight 10-inch flour tortillas, preferably whole wheat
One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 red onion, diced
3/4 cup cooked brown rice
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese (optional)
1/2 cup nonfat sour cream (optional)
1/2 avocado, diced
2 Tbs. fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
Sauce: Place the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth, about 1 minute. Set aside.
Burritos: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. lay a tortilla on your working surface. Spoon about 1/4 cup black beans across the center of the tortilla, followed by a tablespoon each of onion, rice, and cheese if using. Roll up and place the burrito seam side down in a 9-by-13-inch lightly oiled baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, onion, rice, and cheese.
Spoon the sauce over the burritos and backe for 12 minutes. Serve the burritos topped with the sour cream if using, avocado, and cilantro. Serves 4.
Spicy Sesame Noodles
I could eat pasta every day, especially soba. Yum!
1 pound whole-wheat soba noodles or regular linguini
1 Tbs. sesame oil
6 scallions, green parts only, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 tsp. peeled and minced gingerroot
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
Prepare the noodles according to the package directions. Drain. Transfer to a serving dish. Cover.
In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and saute the scallions, red bell pepper, and gingerroot for 2 minutes. Add the cilantro, cayenne, and soy sauce, and saute a minute more. Toss with the noodles. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top. Serve warm or cold. Serves 6.
Strawberry Orange Ice
This refreshing meal-ender is a pretty, deep pink and vitamin-rich.
1 cup calcium-fortified orange juice
2 cups stawberries. fresh or frozen
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar (optional)
Orange slices for garnish
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except for the orange slices. Pour into a shallow, nonmetallic pan and freeze, stirring occasionally, until almost frozen, about 3 or so hours. (Freezing time depends on the shallowness of the container and the temperature of the freezer.) Spoon into four dessert dishes, garnish with the orange slices, and serve at once. Serves 4.
Raspberry-Peach Smoothie
A breakfast drink or dessert, this drink delivers choline-containing soy, betacarotene, calcium and other phytochemicals.
2/3 cup frozen unsweetened raspberries
1 peach, peeled, pitted, and frozen
1 banana, peeled and frozen
4 ounces reduced-fat soft silken tofu (or plain Greek yogurt)
1 1/2 cups calcium-fortified orange juice
Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Makes 2.
Sharing Hope (and recipes) with Your Heart,
by Lucy | Jan 7, 2010 | biblical counseling |
Did you know that food can alter your mood? Of course you do.
A bit of chocolate: sweet bliss. Thank your endorphins.
Turkey sandwich: calm, even drowsiness. Tyrosine, an amino acid, is the trigger.
But did you know that if you eat protein with little carbs, you can amp your alertness (except the aforementioned turkey)? Want calm? Go for carbs alone. Research backs the effect of mood on food. Generally the effect is subtle. If curious, read more in my book Energy Eating, out of print but available through Amazon.
Here’s a calming recipe. Lots of noodles for your noodle. Enjoy.
Spicy Sesame Noodles
1 pound whole-wheat soba noodles or regular linguini
1 Tbs. sesame oil
6 scallions, green parts only, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 tsp. peeled and minced gingerroot
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
Prepare the noodles according to the package directions. Drain. Transfer to a serving dish. Cover. In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and saute the scallions, red bell pepper, and gingerroot for 2 minutes. Add the cilantro, cayenne, and soy sauce, and saute a minute more. Toss with the noodles. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top. Serve warm or cold. Serves 6.
You Are Loved, Lucy
by Lucy | Aug 31, 2009 | biblical counseling |
Here is an eco-friendly,
energizing,
mood-stabilizing
healthy and oh-so-delicious recipe.
It first published in my book Energy Eating, Peak Nutrition for Maximum Physical Performance, Brain Power, Body Strength and Mood Enhancement!
How does food stabilize mood? I’m so glad you asked. 🙂
A predominantly carbohydrate meal prompts your brain to increase serotonin, a neurotransmitter. Equation #1: Increased serotonin equals greater calm. A meal with a carb0-protein mix causes a tyrosine, also a neurotransmitter, to rise, and your energy increases. Equation #2: Increased tyrosine equals greater energy.
Energy and calm together spell g-r-e-a-t m-o-o-d.
Here is a recipe that combines carbs and protein, so feasting on it will give you greater energy.
Next post: Two recipes for calm.
Quick Black Bean Burritos
This dish pairs legumes and cheese with healthy carbs, and it’s ready in just 20 minutes.
Sauce:
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
One 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 to 2 Tbs. minced green chilies, fresh or canned, seeded
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Burritos:
Eight 10-inch flour tortillas, preferably whole wheat
One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 red onion, diced
3/4 cup cooked brown rice
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup nonfat sour cream
1/2 avocado, diced (optional)
2 Tbs. fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
Sauce: Place the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth, about 1 minute. No blender? Mix well by hand. Set aside.
Burritos: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. lay a tortilla on your working surface. Spoon about 1/4 cup black beans across the center of the tortilla, followed by a tablespoon each of onion, rice, and cheese. Roll up and place the burrito seam side down in a 9-by-13-inch lightly oiled baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, onion, rice, and cheese.
Spoon the sauce over the burritos and backe for 12 minutes. Serve the burritos topped with the sour cream, avocado if using and cilantro. Serves 4.
You Are Loved, Lucy
