September 7, 2023 | issue 154

What's Inside This Week:

Dating Your Partner

Remember dating? This may be a fun walk through memory lane for you or it could be a nightmare. The thing about dating is that it can be fun! And, just because we have found our long-term partner, doesn't mean the dating and the fun has to stop. It will inevitably transition to look quite different than the relationship you had while getting to know each other AND it may be even better!

 

Everyday stressors can strain our relationships. Responsibilities of home, work and family can feel overwhelming at times. All this is often dumped on our partners as we deal with life's messiness. Finding time to remember why you chose this person as your partner and enjoying time with them can feel like ‘just one more thing to squeeze in’. Setting aside just an hour or two a week to spend with your partner can bring your closer and strengthen your relationship. Schedule this on your calendar just like you would any important appointment. When you look at your life as a whole, our partner/our closest relationship IS very important. On auto-pilot, it may grow sour and lose it's appeal. When it's high on the priority list, it can thrive and grow in ways that allow you to feel more relaxed and content. 

 

Here are a few ideas for how you might ‘date’ your partner:

Going on dates with your spouse can improve your relationship quality, bring you closer, keep you happier. Make time for each other, schedule date nights, go along with spontaneous plans, and use these moments to give your partner your undivided attention. Consider silencing your phone or leaving it at home (just like the old days!). From going out for coffee to trying out new activities or even volunteering together, there are so many different ways you can spend quality time with your partner. Choose what works best for you both, prioritize each other, and never stop dating your partner. This connection thrives when it is given attention it deserves.  

Bringing It All Together - Home & Health

According to Zelnik Panero, author of Environmental Psychology, “Most applications of human engineering have, in fact, been in the industrial and military sectors.  Unfortunately, the more mundane applications, such as those found in the design of the interior spaces within our homes, offices, health facilities, schools, etc., have been relatively ignored.  This is particularly ironic since much of the underlying philosophy of human engineering is based on the premise that everything is designed for people.  Where else can the concept of “designing from the man, out” make more sense than in the field of architecture and interior design?”

Frank Lloyd Wright knew that the way to a perfect interior design was to bring the outside in.  I think maybe with our bodies it is just the opposite; we should bring the inside out.  God made the water, trees, sky, and hills all the beauty that surrounds us.  God made us fully from our souls to our bodies and if we treat that well and bring it out into the world, we are fulfilling our ultimate purpose.

By designing for the physical, psychological and spiritual needs; increased health, productivity, happiness and general quality of life will be the end result.   When designing a home or lifestyle such as this, maintenance, sustainability, comfort and simplicity are the keys.  Spirituality, intellectual growth, fitness and socialization are keys to our health and because they are so important, should be built into our environment.

How do we build these things into our environment?  There are a few simple things we can do with little cost or extravagant expense depending on how we want to do it.

Sacred space Someplace to retreat to for prayer and reflection.  This can be a corner with a comfortable chair that is quiet and out of the way or a room with a water feature for acoustical privacy, specialized lighting and a comfortable place to sit.  A dream space would be an interior spot that brings the exterior in through fenestration and it would include water, soothing colors and a soft place to sit.

Fitness space We should not have to go to a gym to exercise our bodies.  We can create a full out gym with all the bells and whistles or again, all we need is enough room to move our bodies.   A dream fitness space would be similar to the sacred space listed above, only with smooth interiors lots of water for drinking and some favorite equipment.

Socialization Again, a real living room with no television so families are forced to interact and play together.  An ideal spot, for a family with small children, would be an area to sit down and work together on projects or schoolwork or play games.  This area should be in the middle of the house where everyone walks through to do almost anything.

In a perfect world, every home would have an entire library that encourages intellectual growth.  Beautiful books to choose from anytime you have an interest in something special, Internet access to Google anything you wonder about and a huge table and bench to spread it all out on and study.   This again could cost a fortune but could be accumulated slowly or it could be a small space with a little bookcase, table and chairs and a library card.

The kitchen is another article entirely! Regardless of whether you cook warm meals at home or prepare raw masterpieces there are a billion ways to make a kitchen a place for joyful, healthful tasks and interaction! Food is love. 

15 Things to Know Moving Toward a Whole-Food Plant-Based Diet

1. Our taste preferences are learned and therefore can be unlearned and retrained. If a child is only fed plant-based food, that is what he or she will get used to and enjoy. In other words, we can change our taste preferences if we give it sufficient time. The mistake is not giving it enough time.

2. The way we think and 'speak' to ourselves is key. All of us have internal dialogues and they are very powerful. Rather than tell yourself, "I CANNOT eat meat, dairy, or cheese", it is a lot more powerful to say, "I DO NOT eat meat, dairy or cheese". The former connotes lack and sacrifice whereas the latter connotes the power of choice and empowerment. Pay attention to your internal dialogue. It can be a deal-breaker.

3. Embarking on a whole food plant-based diet is not expensive, especially if you cook the food yourself. It is the processed food in the grocery stores that is expensive. Vegetables, fruit, grains, legumes and beans are relatively cheap if you cook them in your kitchen.

4. The longer you stick to a whole food plant-based diet, the easier it gets. Many people give up before they experience this. You will become more proficient at cooking plant-based ingredients and your taste buds will evolve accordingly. Just like exercise, the more you do it, the easier it becomes.

5. Always try to remember why you embarked on a whole food plant-based diet. Never lose sight of the fact that it is healthier for you and your family and you are giving yourself and loved ones the invaluable gift of health and longevity.

6. Read the ingredients on food packaging. The major ingredients are always listed at the top. Even better, buy ingredients that do not require food labeling: kale is kale, a head of broccoli is exactly that.

7. Buy organic/non GMO whenever possible. Vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds are great, but not as much so if sprayed with Roundup or harmful chemicals. Dr. Michael Greger’s research shows us that even if we cannot utilize organic, the benefit of eating plants outweighs the risk of the pesticide. See his nutritionfacts.org website to learn the best way to clean produce. 

8. Forget worrying about getting sufficient protein. Naysayers love to ask, "But where do you get your protein?!" 100 calories of broccoli has almost the same amount of protein as 100 calories of beef (8.4 grams versus 10.3 grams). 100 calories of tofu has 10.6 grams of protein. 100 calories of black beans has 6.25 grams of protein. Also, you will feel a lot more full and satiated eating the broccoli as compared to the beef because 100 calories of beef only equates to 1.8 ounces of meat.

9. Clean out your pantry and fridge. Give away non plant-based and processed items. It is much better to get rid of the temptations and unhealthy food than having to exercise willpower every day.

10. Once others hear that you are on a whole food plant-based diet, many of them will suddenly act as if they earned a nutrition degree from Harvard. Forget what others say. Do your own research, watch nutrition documentaries, and make your own decisions. Some people will dislike your new habits because it makes them see the flaws in their own food choices.

11. Refrain from trying to convert others or publicizing the fact that you are on a whole food plant-based diet. Nobody likes someone who preaches or is condescending. Your actions and results will speak louder than your words.

12. You are going to become healthier, feel better, look better, think better, and, if you stick with it, you will inevitably influence others in a positive way. You are going to get compliments from others and many will seek advice from you. Some will envy you, but your results will speak for themselves. You will be eating better than 99% of the population.

13. If you couple your plant-based diet with regular exercise, your health will improve exponentially. Exercise and eating healthily bolster one another and are perfect partners. Doing both also increases your chances of sticking to your new healthy lifestyle.

14. Recognize that you are changing the world (and yourself) with your food choices. You are at the forefront of changing our planet for the better. You will be a leader in food evolution while embarking on this wonderful culinary adventure.

15. You are brave, wise, and strong for switching to a whole food plant-based diet. Give yourself a lot of credit. You deserve it.

People living in the Blue Zones eat a primarily plant-based diet and choose a lot of beans such as fava beans, black beans, soy and lentils. On average, they eat a small portion of meat about five times a month, usually pork. Animal foods only make up about 5% of their intake, and they eat very few processed foods.

https://www.bannerhealth.com/healthcareblog/teach-me/blue-zones-diet-the-pros-cons-and-what-to-eat

Recipe of the Week

This oil-free banana bread recipe creates one standard loaf, four mini loaves, or 12 muffins and is moist, satisfying, just sweet enough.

 

Yield: 12 slices    

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar

½ cup soy milk (or other plant-based milk)

½ cup coconut sugar or organic cane sugar

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

1¼ cups mashed bananas (3-4 ripe bananas)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ cup chopped walnuts

½ cup dark chocolate chips, optional

 

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My Favorite Quotes

-Dan Buettner, The Blue Zones

hen Basics tea