13 Ways to Practice Gratitude

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My Take:

This time of Thanksgiving can serve as a good reminder to slow down and practice showing gratitude to others as well as to ourselves (by keeping in mind all with which we have been blessed, and focusing on the positive). Doing so has been shown time and again to be beneficial for both our physical and mental health. It also helps develop an overall spirit of optimism—and research has found that optimists have fewer heart attacks and strokes, less depression, and longer, healthier lives in general than do pessimists.

What this means for you: So, is that glass half-empty or half-full? How do you find ways to practice gratitude in your own life? This article is a fantastic resource for getting started or improving your current attitude of gratitude. Personally, I end each day by writing one paragraph in my daily planner about all the things that went right that day, as many as I can recall. I then, when my head hits the pillow, say my own prayer of thanks for three things in my life for which I am grateful.

Find what works for you. Trust me, it will help you develop a more positive, optimistic frame of mind, and you will be better able to cope with stress and the curve balls that life throws your way.

Another good resource, if you’d like a book on the subject:

My Take:

It always amazes me how far behind most of us are when it comes to getting enough fiber in our diets on a daily basis. For instance, the average American gets about 16 grams of fiber per day, while the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend the following daily intake:

• 28 grams of fiber per day for an adult woman

• 34 grams of fiber for an adult man

To give you an idea of what it takes to get there, consider that one medium-sized banana has 2.6 grams of fiber, and 1 cup of broccoli has 5 grams of fiber, while beans and legumes really make the most impact: 15.5 grams of fiber in 1 cup of boiled lentils, for example.

This article from the Mayo Clinic has a helpful chart with fiber amounts in common whole foods: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/high-fiber-foods/art-20050948

And, of course, the article above from the AARP has some great advice on working more fiber into your daily diet. It’s worth doing for your heart health, your digestive health, and even your brain health!

What this means for you: Are there any ways you can get more fiber on a daily basis? Any easy swaps you could make (see the article above for ideas) that would increase fiber? This Thanksgiving, for example, consider leaving the skin on white potatoes or using sweet potatoes, which are higher in fiber, nutrients, and antioxidants. When you make soup, add beans, lentils, and/or barley. Add quinoa to your salads—it can be delicious!

If you experience digestive problems when eating more fiber, you may be trying to increase your fiber intake by too much too soon. If your digestive system is not used to eating a lot of fiber (and, as I’ve noted above, most of us aren’t), then you really do have to go slowly and increase by just a little every day to get your system used to it.

Products like Beano can help tremendously with digesting very high-fiber foods, as can adding cumin to bean dishes toward the end of the cooking process. You might also find that you digest particular beans or lentils better than others. For instance, you might not do well with black beans, but red beans and lentils are just fine. Don’t be afraid to try things out and see what works for you. Just don’t overdo it all at once! 😉 

Holiday Recipe Time!

A healthy recipe to grace your holiday table: Spanakopita!

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