With the passing of Thanksgiving and the start of December, the Season of Giving has officially begun. This year, with the holiday season in full swing, in the wake of Hurricane Sandy and on my second year of cancer-versaries, I feel that Giving Feeling in the air, now more than ever.
Every year around this time we see, hear and read countless messages proclaiming the importance of giving back and urging us to give. This year, for example, the 92nd Street Y in New York launched its nationwide, social media-based, philanthropic movement, #GivingTuesday, in which more than 2,000 organizations participated. Lately it's gone a step further, with theories and research studies suggesting physical, mental & emotional health benefits of giving (as illustrated by this 2009 Forbes.com article).
Whether or not there are health benefits to giving is completely beside the point. Giving a little of your self every now and then may not necessarily make you a happier or healthier person overall but at the very least, it certainly helps the person or organization you are giving to and most likely will make you pause just long enough to put your own life and problems into perspective. Not to mention, giving can be contagious and inspiring or at least just make others smile (by now you must have seen the story of the police officer who bought the shoeless homeless man all-weather boots on a cold November night).
There are a number of ways you can give.
Thanksgiving is less than a week away and all around me people are starting to put their holiday plans into action, heading out of town and picking up their groceries for the big meal. The long holiday weekend and going back home can mean slipping back into old habits, for better or worse, but spoiling all the work you've done for your body and health doesn't have to be a requirement of Thanksgiving Day. In fact, it's a great time to practice enjoying yourself while still maintaining your healthy habits. You should absolutely enjoy the foods you have been waiting for all year long but that doesn't mean you need to end up feeling bloated & regretful a week from now! So, let's check out some of my tips for Turkey Day.
Hello Friends,
I hope that you and your loved ones made it through Hurricane Sandy safely and are receiving the support you need.
It has been a few weeks since my last post so I'll catch you up on what's been going on.
At the end of October I took a short break from posting to focus 100% on studying for my Dietitian Registration exam. That break was extended when my husband and I ended up temporarily moving out of our apartment as an indirect result of the hurricane. My test was initially canceled due to the storm but eventually I did take and pass the RD exam. So, now I am officially a Registered Dietitian!
It has been a long road to get to this point.
