FEAST Blog Articles |
|
UPCOMING BLOG
October 15th, 2021: Boost Your Home Menu Potential – Planning for a Delicious Week!
|
FEAST Blog Articles |
|
UPCOMING BLOG
October 15th, 2021: Boost Your Home Menu Potential – Planning for a Delicious Week!
|
Thank goodness for technology in the kitchen. There are so many, affordable kitchen gadgets that simplify the process of helping you prepare and cook your foods. Using a stovetop or oven has its challenges but there is often more than one way to prepare your favorite soup or hot dish.
Here are our top 5 picks for appliances we could use instead of the oven or stovetop: THE SLOW COOKER This is an essential appliance for the kitchen. One stop cooking right here. There are even cookbooks for the slow cooker! Make a lasagna, chili, or an apple pie – your choices are endless. You can make just about anything in this and the best part is you refrain from using the oven, which can contribute to the heat on a hot summer day. THE PANINI PRESS or MINI GRILL This fun gadget lets you make a delicious panini sandwich in minutes! Build your sandwich, pop it in the press and you have an impressive sandwich just like the one you like in the Italian deli. You can also cook your meat too, like grilled chicken or a hamburger. The mess is minimal and you can easily wipe off the surface with a paper towel. THE AIR FRYER This handy appliance takes into consideration your lifestyle of healthy eating. No oils or butter are needed to make a tasty dinner – and it cooks in just minutes! Make tasty foods like tortilla chips, cauliflower tots, and chicken wings. THE BLENDER or CUISINART A favorite item to make in the blender is pesto! Just add fresh basil leaves, some olive oil and a few pine/walnuts. Made too much? Freeze your extra in an ice cube tray to make the perfect size portions that you can store in the freezer. Hummus is another healthy treat you can make and it will taste far better than what you could buy in the store. Hummus is whole food ingredients that your body is sure to appreciate. Smoothies, breadcrumbs and gazpacho (cold tomato soup) are a few more yummy ideas. THE TOASTER OVEN Since this appliance can be put on a table that makes it easy to access, you may find that you love your toaster oven. It can do more than just toast your bread! You can bake a small casserole, add a little cheese and then broil that on top. Baked potato is a snap! Warming up your dinner makes leftovers a pleasure. Having fun kitchen appliances can help get your creative juices flowing. Do not be afraid to try new things. Explore! You may have yet to discover your newly famous dish everyone must have!
0 Comments
It is always a good idea to replace excess body fat with muscle. If you have a mobility impairment, the benefits are even greater! More muscle means more strength and better mobility. More muscle mass means decreased risk of chronic diseases, increased metabolic rate, and even improved mood and mental health. It also helps to keep you at a healthy body weight.
People who use assistive devices to improve their mobility often lose muscle mass. The biggest muscles humans have are in the butt and legs. Back muscles can also easily become weak from lack of use. The repeated use of an assistive device like a walker, wheelchair, or cane can make you prone to shoulder and chest muscles injuries. Exercising is practically a magical cure all that can help combat these muscle weakness issues. If you have access to a pool, this is a great way to move those muscles through low impact exercise. The pool is great no matter how old you are – and who does not love to splash around in the water? The water supports the body and can reduce the risk of discomfort. For outdoor pools, take advantage of the early mornings when the air is cooler and the sun is less intense. There are a lot of workout routines for people with all kinds of abilities on the internet – find someone you like who inspires you. There are many options from beginner to advanced. Start with easy routines that will not wear you out too much. Give yourself a week or two to ramp up gradually. Check out your local recreation center or gym. Many offer adapted cycling and other exercise machines useful for people with limited lower leg movement. There are often tailored programs or rates for people with disabilities. It is worth investigating to discover what your community has available. This is also a great way to meet new friends who are also interested in maintaining their muscle mass! If you are sports minded, you might check into local adapted sports leagues for people with mobility impairing disabilities. Depending on where you are located there may be adapted basketball, rugby, fencing, dancing, or even sailing! Many clubs and teams are happy to welcome new members. You can try checking your favorite recreation center or gym for announcements as well as searching on the internet. There are plenty of opportunities for everyone with just a little to a whole lot of experience. Doing regular exercise to help build muscle mass and strength has huge health benefits, regardless of your level of experience. In addition to improving your strength, you will be at lower risk for many diseases. The mental health benefits of exercise will boost your mood – and help with depression, stress, mental clarity, sleep and anxiety. Plus, it’s a great way to meet new friends. Gradually build to at least a total of 30 minutes a day or more, 5 days a week to enjoy the benefits. And following the physical activity guidelines for all Americans, you can break those down into three, 10-minute sessions per day. Even 10 minutes a day will help! Our bodies need protein for a whole lot of reasons. Building and repairing body tissue, boosting your metabolism, and optimizing your immune system are just a few of the important things protein does for your body. It is an essential nutrient! Yet, sometimes we struggle to eat enough protein, especially when the hot weather hits. Who wants to turn on the stove? Here are our top 5 picks for easy ways to get your proper protein intake when the temps hit the triple digits. 1. NUTS High protein nuts include almonds, cashews and pistachios. Limit yourself to a small handful (about ¼ cup). These little guys also pack calories. BONUS: Easy to bring with you or leave in your car – they do not melt and they are tasty even when a little warm. 2. EGGS Egg whites are almost pure protein! An average sized egg contains about 6-7 grams of protein. BONUS: Hard boil several at a time, so that they are easy to grab for a quick snack or add to a crunchy salad. 3. GREEK YOGURT Be sure to opt out of the brands containing sugar – add some natural sugar with fruit. BONUS: Add berries and nuts for a great snack or breakfast. Add to your smoothie or make a healthy dip with fresh herbs and onion. 4. BROCCOLI These little trees pack more protein than most vegetables—one cup of broccoli has about 2 ½ grams of protein. BONUS: Steam some in advance to use in omelets or salads, or enjoy with dips. 5. TUNA Rich in protein, low in fat and calories. BONUS: Mix up a can with some mayonnaise or plain yogurt (see above) and leave it in your fridge for a nice cool snack. Put it on crackers, make a sandwich, or have it over lettuce or a baked potato. One of the best benefits from protein is that it makes you feel full. By regularly adding protein to your daily diet, you might find you eat less. You may even shed a few pounds. Did you notice how we did not focus on meat? Lean beef and chicken are also great for getting your daily dose of protein. But, in the heat of summer, these are not optimal choices, as they need to be cooked. There are plenty of other options to get your protein into your daily diet – having something you like that is easy to grab is the secret. Click here to access the blog in SPANISH!
Don’t we all love the smell of the fresh blooming flowers in the springtime? Well, if flowers are not your cup of tea, there are several scents that can help improve our health in many ways. Did you know that processing smell is closely related to the hippocampus, where memories are stored? Memories are always connected with emotions. So, when we experience a scent stored in our memory, our brains associate it with a memory. This is one reason why scents can help improve your mood. Here are a few that you could try.
April 24th is sense of smell day! These are just a few scents that can be useful in our day-to-day life. There are many scents out there that have great benefits as well. Many times, the scents we like are outside or in our kitchen. Try smelling different scents until you find a few that you enjoy and then research their many beneficial qualities One thing we believe people can agree to enjoy universally are sports! Sport is a universal language. At its best it can bring people together, no matter what their origin, background, religious beliefs or economic status. So yes, people with disabilities are participating in both recreational as well as high-performance sports to leave lasting legacy in history! Some of the best athletes in the world—such as Chelsea McClammer and Kyle Maynard—have a disability. Some of these great athletes were born with a birth defect that affects their mobility and others may have sustained a life changing injury following a serious accident. Regardless of their situation, these individuals overcame their physical limitations and turned themselves into some of the best athletes in the world. Here are some phenomenal athletes with a disability: Chelsea McClammer When Chelsea McClammer was just six years old, she was in a car accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down. She adjusted to her new reality and began putting efforts in competing in sports. She soon became the youngest member of the United States Paralympic team in the 2008 Beijing games. In Beijing she competed in the women’s 800-meter, where she placed eighth in the world. Later, McClammer continued to have success medaling six times at the Parapan American Games, competing in the IPC Athletics World Championship team, and being nominated for an EPSY as the Best Female Athlete with a Disability. Kyle Maynard Kyle Maynard was born without arms and legs, but that didn’t stop him from becoming an MMA fighter competing against able-bodied athletes. Maynard made the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, was designated GNC’s World’s Strongest Teen, and has been named U.S. Jaycees Top 10 Outstanding Young Americans. He has also been named the Best Male Athlete with a Disability twice at the EPSYs. Oz Sanchez
Oz Sanchez, who use to serve in the Marine Corps., suffered a spinal cord injury after a motorcycle accident that left him paralyzed. Seven years after his accident, he became a Paralympic para-cycling athlete. He competed for the U.S. in the 2008 Games in Beijing, earning a gold and bronze medal at the games. He also earned a gold medal at the UCI Para-Cycling Road World Championships. He later returned to the Paralympic Games in London, where he earned another gold medal and bronze medal. Sports are an amazing way to step forward to destroying the stigma and discrimination associated with disability. It can do this by altering society attitudes and beliefs about people with disabilities by highlighting their skills and reducing the tendency to see the disability instead of the individual. Sports also allows for able-bodied persons to interact with persons with a disability, which in turn can reshape assumptions about what people with disabilities can and cannot do. Sports are also beneficial in helping persons with a disability keep physically active, increase self-confidence, improve social skills, create a greater sense of independence and much more. We encourage all people to think about participating in sports, even if it is not in a major way like the athletes we mentioned above. You can participate in recreational sports, play with family or friends, or just do it alone as a hobby! Of course, we recommend you first discuss with your physician to make sure which sports are right for you and your health. References Disability and sports enable. (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2021, from https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/issues/disability-and-sports.html Marie, J. (2017, October 03). 12 incredible athletes with disabilities. Retrieved March 10, 2021, from https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1743213-12-incredible-athletes-with-disabilities As we wrap up Valentine’s Month in the US, many of us have been thinking about love and romance these past few weeks. There are many false assumptions and negative stereotypes about members of the disabled community. Some mistakenly assume that people with disabilities cannot find love and romance. Since February is a month of love, we want to discuss common disability dating myths. Myth 1: Normal dates are not possible for people with disabilities People with disabilities enjoy going on dates just as any other person does. Individuals with disabilities may have some restrictions that would change a few things around here and there, but those accommodations don’t have to ruin the date. For example, a person with a wheelchair may need to park closer to the restaurant for a date. Accommodations are sometimes needed but the date itself can be just like any other date. Myth 2: People with a disability can only date other people with a disability It is true that sometimes people prefer to date people who share common experiences with them, such as having a disability. But, this is not always the case for everyone who lives with a disability. A healthy relationship is usually based on having mutual interests. For example, a mutual interest in birdwatching might bring two people together regardless of whether one or both of them live with a disability. People fall in love with each other based on many reasons that can include personality, culture, and common interests. Myth 3: The date will be very awkward, and I will do or say something offensive Many able-bodied people still think of people with disabilities as essentially different or unrelatable. The fact is that dating can be awkward or intimidating for anyone regardless of ability or disability. Try having a conversation about an obvious difference earlier on in the date, and this can make both parties feel more comfortable with one another. The conversation can then move past disability, and each can get to know the other on a deeper level. Myth 4: Disability equals burden Disability is not the same thing as burden. Sometimes there is a perception that people with disabilities can be a burden to able-bodied people because there may be unreasonable responsibilities. This is usually simply not true. Many people with a disability can provide for their own needs, allowing relationships to flourish without burden. Relationships are partnerships. Partners often give and take emotional and physical experiences with each other in a myriad of intangible and tangible ways. Regardless of whether someone has a disability, everyone needs to give and take in a healthy relationship. Myth 5: Dating someone with a disability will be boring People with disabilities often enjoy many activities and entertaining events such as concerts, traveling, watching movies, and so on. People with disabilities like to participate in many things that able-bodied people like to do. Communication and engaging in a variety of activities helps people to experience their lives together from each other’s perspective and learn about each other. Dating to find love and romance can be awkward and difficult for anyone. Excluding a group of people based on their ability or disability from your dating pool can reduce your chances to different dating experiences. You may also miss out on your soulmate! It can be fun and offer creativity, communication, and strategies that both can experience! Reference: Sheypuk, D. (2014, August 27). Damaging myths about dating someone with a physical disability. Retrieved February 12, 2021 from https://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/1048707/top-five-myths-about-dating-someone-with-a-physical-disability/ New Year’s resolutions are a tricky thing aren’t they? The New Year feels like a fresh start to many and an opportunity to set new and amazing goals. Although, sometimes after the thrill of the New Year settles in, we aren’t as eager about our goals…. It’s easy to fall short of achieving the amazing goals we had set for ourselves. This year can be different! Our FEAST team believes that any and every one can achieve New Year’s resolutions as long as they set their mind on it. Today we want to share some tips on how to stick to your New Year resolutions this year.
1.Start with small steps We sometimes can have big goals that we want to achieve immediately, but trying to get immediate results could lead to our failure. We encourage you to take small steps that will lead you to your goal. For example, if you want to start eating healthier this year, you may want to start out by replacing some of your favorite food options with more nutritious ones. Such as replacing a milk chocolate bar for a dark chocolate bar. Then your next goal may be to eat more vegetables. You could do this by slowly increasing the amount of meals you make with vegetables each day. 2.Visualize yourself achieving it Our goals can feel overwhelming--especially if they require us the make real lifestyle changes. Try imagining yourself achieving your goal anyway! Close your eyes, see yourself there, feel it, and embrace it. Feels good doesn’t it? So whenever you are feeling unmotivated, try this exercise and visualize how amazing you will feel if you continue working on your goal. 3.Weigh now against later Sometimes in the moment, some things can seem so enticing. But, we challenge you to think about how you will feel later, versus now, if you do something that doesn’t align with your goals. For example, let’s say you made a goal to meditate first thing each morning, but one morning you are tempted to sleep in instead. If you decide to sleep in that may feel nice in the moment, but imagine how you will feel later throughout the day. Your day may feel off because you didn’t meditate and set the tone for your day by meditating like you were doing on every other day. 4.Find a routine that works for you The previous tip brings us to our next tip. Find a routine that works for you! For example, if you want to start meditating in the morning, we don’t advise that you set a goal to meditate every morning at 5am if you typically wake up at 10am. Maybe at some point you can achieve waking up every day at 5am to meditate, but start at a time more realistic for you so you can stick to it. 5.Surround yourself with good company The company you keep around you can have a major impact on your goals. The people whom you hang out with can affect how you feel and how you behave. Try to keep people around you who encourage and uplift you. It could also be helpful to surround yourself around people with the same goals as you, so you can motivate each other through the process of achieving your goals. 6.Keep trying If when spring comes, and you have completely run out of fire to keep up with your New Year’s resolution, don’t despair. Start over again! You can start over as many times as you want or need. No one is perfect and reaching goals can be easier said then done, so keep trying. 7.Reward yourself Acknowledge your small accomplishments toward your steps in reaching your goals and reward yourself for it. For example, say you have a goal to cook your own meals 5 days out of the week this year. Say you’ve accomplished doing this successfully for a month. Now is the time to take some time out to catch up on your favorite show while you eat a delicious dinner you prepared to reward yourself and recognize how proud you are of yourself and accomplishments! |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
October 2021
Categories |