Wellness During the Holidays

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ealth and Wellness Professionals

As we approach the holidays I always ask myself "how can we maintain balance as individuals, care givers and healers?" In this newsletter we explore practical ways to approach the coming season in a healthy - balanced manner.

Some thoughts that come to mind are:

It's not about the stuff!
It is about the people.
When we are feeling down often helping others can lift us up.
It is a time to honor those who have gone before us and feel our connection to the past.
It is also a time to let go of things, traditions, and feelings that no longer serve us and a time to choose to bring in the new!

Staying on your Wellness Plan over the Holidays!

“The holidays are coming!” should be a joyous cry of delight. Unfortunately for someone trying to maintain healthy changes and stick to their wellness plan, it can sound like a warning from a watchtower that the barbarians are about to invade and pillage our progress!

You know the fear. Every conceivable effort to knock you off your snowman wellness wagon is on it’s way. We’re talking sugar, massive carbo-loading lethargy, parties, workplace holiday treats to share (and jettison onto our poor colleagues). Much too much television sports and holiday specials. Sedentary times are coming! So are fat, empty calories and everybody’s favorite, lots of stress!

No wonder leaving the country (if possible) for the holidays is getting popular! Well, the flip side is that we also dearly love this time of year too. Or perhaps at least we used to. Seems like it’s all a double-edged sword. Family get-togethers can be stressful but they also provide the connectedness we thrive on. Holiday food traditions are way up on our lists of both “danger foods” and foods we absolutely love. Comfort food was invented here. Give me some version of my Mom’s Date & Nut Pinwheel Cookies and I’m in heaven!

So! How can we be “well” throughout the holidays? Here’s a few thoughts to keep in mind and some strategy to help you continue your forward momentum toward your wellness visions by applying “The Ten Tenets of Wellness” (see article on our website resources section) Tenet Number Nine: “You don’t have to be perfect to be well.”

Got Pumpkin?

This time of year, we've got pumpkins on the brain -- and in the pantry. There's the Halloween jack-o'-lantern, of course (made from a not-so-tasty variety of pumpkin meant for carving). Then throughout the holiday season, we inevitably have a cup or so of canned pumpkin hanging around after making a loaf of pumpkin bread or a pumpkin pie or two.
Below, I'll show you four delicious ways to use that pumpkin, from breakfast (waffles) to dessert (cake). But first, let's chat about the nutritional power of this famous member of the squash family.

Fresh pumpkins are available from September to November (80% of the U.S. pumpkin supply is available in October), but you can buy canned pumpkin year-round. The nutritional difference between canned and fresh pumpkin is mainly the vitamin C content. With 1/4 cup of canned pumpkin, you get 1.7 g fiber, 170% of the Daily Value for vitamin A, 8% Daily Value for vitamin E, 4% for vitamin C and folic acid, 6% for iron and magnesium -- all for just 20 calories! Twenty calories worth of boiled fresh pumpkin will give you a little less vitamin A (135% of the Daily Value), but a little more vitamin C (8% Daily Value).

Pumpkin Challah Bread
Pumpkin Potato Soup
Pennsylvania Dutch Pumpkin Cake
Pumpkin Pecan Waffles

Now read on, try these recipes and enjoy the pumpkin season!

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How to Read the Organic Wine Labels

100 percent organic

USDA certification
100% organically produced ingrediants
Ingredient statement on label
Provides certifying agency information on label
May contain naturally occurring sulfites, with a toal sulfite level less than 100 parts per million

2009 "Wellness Coaching" Training Schedule

wellness-mapping-360 Enroll in a 2009 session of the Wellness Mapping 360 "Wellness Coach" Certificate training before December 15, 2008 and receive 2008 prices!

Save $200!

Wellness Mapping 360© "Wellness Coach" Certification (20 hrs): This course is valuable alone or can be used towards the Advanced Wellness Coach level certification.

Learn wellness concepts and professional coaching competencies that will give you the skills needed to individualize your wellness program or current work. You will learn a systematic coaching process, based on behavioral change psychology, human motivation, solution-oriented therapy, and professional coaching competencies. Learn how to motivate others toward health and wellness with support and accountability. Wellness Mapping 360º© will give you a framework for measurable success. It is a holistic approach grounded in practical application. The Wellness Mapping 360º© Certificate training certifies you to work with clients as a Wellness Mapping 360© Coach. You gain the training, the tools, and the support to develop as a wellness professional.

2008 Telephonic Training

January 12/09 - 2/4/09 - 6pm - 8pm est (M/W)
January 27/09 - 2/26/09 - 12pm - 2pm est (T/TH)
March 9/09 - 4/8/09 - 7pm - 9pm est (M/W)
April 28/09 - 5/28/09 - 12pm - 2pm est (T/TH)

$545 US is the 2008 training fee - 2009 training fee is $745 - Save $200 by registering now! Registration fee includes course manual, digital tool package, and web-based support. You will need to purchase the book "Wellness Coaching for Lasting Lifestyle Change".

To find out more about WM360 - Part Two, CE's for Nurses, and Mentor Training opportunties in 2009 - press the link below!
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