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Our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world as being able to remake ourselves.
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~Ghandhi
It’s official! I have pumpkin fever and it could be because of a few factors. 1) I love the color (My college mascot was the Orangemen and my native countries’ colors are also orange), OR 2) It is such a yummy and super healthy treat surrounding me at every market I walk into. Either way, they are here and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. As you’ll see in this month’s feature, don’t just carve them up but eat them, too!
I think it's pretty clear I love this time of year, from the changing of colors to all the heartier foods of chili and soup. It is important to stay warm out there in the many parts of the country where we are cooling down, but also to make sure to keep moving. Colder weather is no reason to lose your exercise routine and cool weather is a good excuse to force your body to get warm by being active!
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Best in Health!
~Amy Crews~
Natural Health
Expert
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Featured Story
‘Tis the Season for Pumpkin
Pumpkin season is in full swing, as it's hard to walk by any storefront this time of year and not see the brightly colored fruit. While many pumpkins will be mostly used for carving and decoration, there is a good excuse to be eating them as well. Pumpkins boast high levels of vitamins C, E and B5 in addition to potassium, fiber and magnesium. What these mean for your body is collectively they help lower cholesterol, strengthen your bones, strengthen your heart, and can even help you manage stress.
Not only is the pumpkin healthy and good for you but so are those seeds, so don’t go throwing those away. Seeds are a rich source of protein, great especially if you are a vegetarian and also contain iron along with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Pull those seeds out of your pumpkin whether you are eating or carving and let them dry overnight. The next day brush with olive oil and sea salt and roast in the oven. Pumpkin seeds make for a great snack, accent to fall dishes, and salad topper.
With pumpkin being high in fiber you may not have realized it is also naturally lower in fat and therefore adds to the list of reasons to eat this orange fruit all season long. I have featured a great pumpkin muffin recipe below to get you started, but don’t be afraid to think about how to use it in soups, or even pies.
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Recipe of the Month:
Ginger-Spiced Pumpkin Muffins
Yield: 12 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- Cooking spray
- 1/2 cup sugar, brown (packed)
- 1 1/2 cups flour, whole-wheat pastry, (if you can't find whole wheat pastry flour, may substitute regular whole wheat flour)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- 1 teaspoon ginger, ground
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg(s)
- 1 cup milk, fat-free
- 1/2 cup pumpkin, puree
- 1/4 cup oil, canola
- 2 teaspoon orange peel (zest), grated
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly spray 12 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the brown sugar, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg for 30 seconds, until foamy. Add the milk, pumpkin, oil, and orange zest. Beat well. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, and stir until the flour mixture is moistened.
- Fill the muffin cups three-quarters full with batter. Bake for 15 minutes, until the tops spring back when you touch them with a finger. Turn out muffins onto a wire rack to cool. Once cool, you can freeze the muffins, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months.
Via JoyBauer.com
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In the News...
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Celebrity spokesperson Guiliana Rancic recently came public regarding her diagnosis with breast cancer at the age of 36. The cancer was detected when, prior to undergoing fertility treatments, her doctor required her to get a mammogram. Mammograms are typically recommended for woman with a baseline age of 40, but this certainly brings to light the importance of performing self-exams regularly and not sticking to any pre-determined age bracket for having a screening.
Other factors that may require you to screen sooner may be your family history, health history, and diet. I am a big believer in looking out for oneself and being our own advocate for health and well–being. Don’t ever be afraid to work outside the mold.
You can read more about Guiliana here
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Giving Back
In the spirit of breast cancer awareness month, and focusing on women screening themselves against the disease, I am featuring a FREE tool to help women. By visiting the breast cancer site you can click at the top of the screen to donate a free mammogram to a woman in need. Please visit the site often and remember how powerful a quick click can be. Once complete, you can check out their store as well as the many sponsors to sport pink this month and bring continued awareness to this cause.
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Action Items
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- Pumpkin fever is in full swing; get some seeds in your bag for snacks and pumpkin in your meals for great health benefits.
- Keep up all the great work by being active! If you need some inspiration check out the sweat and tears on NBC’s Biggest Loser. Click to watch the latest recap.
- Check out the DietsinReview.com blog for the latest in health and fitness.
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Weekly Articles
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Forward to a friend
It's such a pleasure to help those closest to us become happier and healthier. Please forward this newsletter to friends, family members or colleagues who might be interested and inspired by it.
Also, if there is something you are interested in learning more about or would like me to feature in an upcoming newsletter please contact me.
Eat, Live Laugh newsletters are intended for overall general wellness. If you have condition specific concerns please feel free to contact me.
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