In the hustle and bustle of the season, could there be a way to skip the stores and still get a Christmas gift they will love? No, I’m not talking about online shopping! I’m talking about giving those you love an experience.
In our family, some of the most cherished gifts are things you can’t wrap under the tree. Since most of us don’t need more material goods, we enjoy giving experiences which make memories that last!
One of my favorite gifts from my parents was a family membership to the Naperville Children's Museum for our family. Talk about a gift that keeps on giving! We thought of them every time we went there all year.
When you give an experience as a gift, the key is finding something they will enjoy that fits in your budget. It could be something super simple like a date with you to a local coffee shop, or it could be a little more elaborate.
Let’s look at some ideas for experiences that our loved ones may enjoy!
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We at DuPage Family Wellness would like to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving week!
Whether you will be spending time with loved ones or enjoying tasty food by yourself, try to draw the focus back to gratitude! It doesn't mean that you can't grieve the hard parts of this holiday, but it does mean you try to find some things to be grateful for.
Embracing gratitude is a lovely thing, and all the better to do it on this special day when we are encouraged to pause and reflect on all we have.
There are so many benefits to developing a gratitude practice that I wanted to share our gratitude blogs with you once more.
I think you'll be surprised at how much we have to be grateful for even in these crazy times!
Dr. Jamie
Many people wonder if it's possible to create a Thanksgiving menu with all real, unprocessed, nourishing foods. To that I respond with a resounding yes! It is absolutely possible to make a great meal using healthy whole foods.
If you are unsure how to create your menu, here are several variations of the typical Thanksgiving fare that include only real food, unprocessed ingredients!
If you aren't quite ready to switch all your recipes over that's okay, start with one or two. I think once you see how tasty these recipes are, you will be inspired to try some more in following years.
You may be surprised that when you use these recipes you actually feel good after feasting, instead of the standard post thanksgiving lethargy. Enjoy!
The Bird:
Easy Roasted Turkey with Sage Butter
Butterflied Turkey Recipe (with tutorial)
Stuffing:
Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing
Paleo Comfort Foods - Stuffing
Green Bean Casserole:
Paleo Green Bean Casserole
Sweet Potato Casserole:
Sweet Potato Casserole
Roasted Garlic and Butternut Squash Mash
Cranberries:
3 Ingredient Cranberry Sauce
Other Sides:
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
Beautiful Brussels Sprouts (with onion and squash)
Butternut Squash Risotto
Cauliflower "Mashed Potatoes"
Desserts:
Pumpkin Bars
Pumpkin Pie
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Between work, activities, and family, life can feel pretty overwhelming. You may feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day, so there simply isn’t time to get a good night’s sleep. But sleep is one of the most fundamental functions we do each day. Without good sleep you will not only feel terrible, but you will begin to damage your body.
Without proper sleep you will likely notice a difference in your energy, mood, and ability to function. And if you consistently wake up from a full night's sleep feeling less than refreshed, you may be dealing with undiagnosed sleep issues.
There is an easy way to check for such a sleep issue that you can do in the privacy of your own home. This simple test costs next to nothing and only takes a few extra seconds at night.
Let’s look at what the experts say about this test and how to use the results to train your body to sleep well again!
What We Are Looking For
According to Dr. Mark Burhenne sleep apnea is the “lack of the ability to breathe properly at night to the point where your sleep is interrupted.”
While most people are aware of severe sleep apnea, Burhenne explains that mild forms are often left undiagnosed especially in otherwise healthy individuals.
Sometimes a dentist will see early warning signs of sleep apnea through features in the mouth. These early signs include gum recession, tooth sensitivity, TMJ, dry mouth, morning headaches, chipped teeth, and nighttime clenching or grinding.
All of these signs can be attributed to the inability to consistently breathe through your nose rather than your mouth.
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If you’ve been around me awhile, you know how much I refer to our ancestors to decide what a natural way of living looks like.
Long ago our ancestors lived off the land. They only ate what they could hunt, grow, or forage. Therefore, the foods they ate were whole foods either grown or caught in the wild.
What would it look like for you to align your diet with what theirs may have been? Is there a way we could follow some of those principles in modern day life to get more nutrition?
Let’s explore this issue and see if we can use their diets as a guide for ours!
Living off the Land
Long ago our ancestors lived off the land. The foods they ate were whole foods - grown or caught in the wild. Everything was natural with no sprays or pesticides.
At the same time, food could be scarce and difficult to get. They had to work the land - growing, harvesting, or hunting each serving of food.
These ancestors didn’t need a ton of self control not to eat junk food, it simply wasn’t available!
Modern Diets
In contrast the Standard American Diet (SAD) is highly processed and composed of foods made in a factory. Some of the ingredients are even genetically modified. This type of diet is far from natural.
Much of the produce in the grocery stores were sprayed with pesticides and picked before they were ripe. And many of the animal products we consume were made from animals grown in an unhealthy environment.
And today our food supply - especially the unhealthy choices - tends to be abundant and easy to get.
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