STRESS AND PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

March 15, 2018 Sandra Partridge

What a great combination! I decided on the title of this topic after reading an interesting article in MASSAGE Magazine titled "What We Most Fear" (February 2018, massagemag.com). After reading about anxiety caused by emotional and mental stress, I figured a follow up with an awesome recipe for gluten-free chewy peanut butter cookies dipped in dark chocolate (pictured above with my mascot, Chubby Chef Charlie) makes everything better!

WHAT DO WE MOST FEAR?

There was a nationwide study done by Chapman University in late 2017 on what motivates people to book massage sessions, and the majority indicated that anxiety was the leading reason. What was more interesting was the top causes of all of the mental and emotional stress, which I listed according to the article, along with the percent of Americans feeling afraid or very afraid:

*corruption of government officials (74%)

*Trumpcare (55%)

*pollution of rivers, oceans and lakes (53%)

*pollution of drinking water (50%)

*not having enough money for the future (50%)

*high medical bills (48%)

*that the U.S. will be involved in another world war (48%)

*global warming and climate change (48%)

*North Korea using weapons (48%)

*air pollution (45%)

I look at that list and wonder to myself, why am I not busier? (Half joking, haha!) In all seriousness, anxiety just sucks. Period. We just can't get out of our own way, can we? We all wrestle with the gremlins in our heads at one point or another, and a little anxiety is actually not unhealthy- it's the amount of anxiety that the average person experiences on a daily basis. Anxiety and stress creates the fight, flight or freeze response (the third response is rarely mentioned), due to the amount of adrenaline that courses throughout our bodies; pupils dialate, heart races, respiration increases..the human body is amazing when it comes to survival. Being in this state used to be reserved for running away from the saber-toothed tiger- a defense mechanism that helped our chances of survival in a life-threatening situation. Unfortunately, in modern day society, too many of us are trying to survive in a miserable job, or an unhappy marraige, an illnness, lack of finances, struggling with self-worth, obsessing over the news and situations that we have no control over... If you think about the detrimental effects that this creates on your health, you might as well take up smoking and buy a membership at your nearest tanning salon!

BE THE CHANGE....

Ghandi said "Be the change you want to see in the world". I think of this often when the whole world seems to be spiraling out of control and there's not a damn thing I can do about it. However, being the change has made me become more conscious of my thoughts and actions, and how they can effect not only my health, but my surroundings as well. I have to make the decision that I can't allow myself to to become anxious about global issues or anything else for that matter, because it's a waste of precious time, which is becoming even more precious as I get older. What I can do is project optimism, joy, love, peace, hope and faith, believing that my thoughts and actions can positively impact this crazy but beautiful world that we live in.

If all esle fails, either come in for a massage, or make PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES....or do both! :)

CHEWY, GLUTEN-FREE DARK CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

This recipe is so easy! I hope you don't mind, but I'm not listing calories, sugars, fat content, etc. because sometimes that just takes the fun out of it. I tried to make the recipe as healthy as possible. I suppose you can use almond butter if there's an allergy to peanut butter (if that's the case, I feel so sorry for you!)

1 cup smooth all natural peanut butter (no added oils or sugar)

3/4 cup organic coconut sugar (tastes simular to brown sugar).

1 large egg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 16oz bag good quality dark chocolate chips

*optional- 1/4 cup oatmeal, raisins or cranberries

1. Heat the oven to 350'. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Beat together the peanut butter and sugar until well blended. Add egg, baking soda, vanilla and salt and beat until well combined.

3. Roll the dough into 1-oz balls, place in sheet pan, then flatten with the tines of a fork (because peanut butter cookies would not be the same without that criss-cross pattern!) Bake for about 10 minutes or until a light golden brown. Cool for a few minutes before moving; they are less likely to crumble if you let them cool completely.

MELTED DARK CHOCOLATE (The darker, the better!) The slight bitterness from the dark chocolate and sweetness from the cookie makes a great combination!

You will need a double boiler. Alternativley, use a large cooking pot (like you use for pasta), and a small metal bowl. Fill the bottom of the pot halfway with water and place on the stovetop burner on low heat. Place the small bowl inside the large pot and allow it to warm up for a couple of minutes. Pour half the bag (you can always add more as you go along) of chips in the small bowl and stir with a wooden spoon unitl they begin to melt. Stir constantly to prevent over cooking. When the chocolate is melted, turn off the heat but leave on the burner so it stays melted longer. Simply dip the cookies in the chocolate and allow them to set on wax or parchment paper, which prevents them from sticking to the surface.

A really good friend of mine used to say "OMG it's so good you'll pull your ears off!"

ENJOY, ENJOY, ENJOY!

Love,

Sandy

MUSIC SOOTHES THE SAVAGE BEAST

February 17, 2018 Sandra Partridge

This is one of my favorite Bugs Bunny episodes, and it just came me while I was running on the treadmill recently. Instead of plugging myself into something educational or motivational that might help spark the next topic for my blog, I decided to go back to my old running partner, music. Not the kind of music you would expect someone who studies Yoga and stress-management to listen to, though. I switched over to Pandora "Hard Rock Station", and Five Finger Death Punch blasted heart thumping, leg pumping groove metal through my headphones. The heaviness in my legs went away, the fog lifted out of my brain making room for some clarity, and all of the sudden, I had energy! This made me realize how much I missed my music and how much of an impact it has had in my life.

Practicing Holistic Health Care involves integrating mind, body, and spirit, and I would have to say that music takes care of all three, or at least it does for me. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a house full of music. My parents invested in a great beast of an entertainment system, complete with a turn-table record player, equalizer, real-to-real, tape deck, and giant state-of-the-art speakers (I imagine that anyone under 35 years old has no idea what I'm talking about). We listened to The Beatles, Elton John, Elvis (my very first crush at eight years old), Neil Diamond, The Eagles, lots of Motown, and many more. My parents didn't have much money, but music was diverse and plentiful. We didn't take long vacations or go to fancy places to eat, but we had dancing and singing on a regular basis.

Music plays a part in every phase of life. A baby falls asleep to a lullaby, grade schoolers memorize the ABC's with the help of a melody, teens use music as an emotional outlet or a means to find connection with others, and as aging adults, music can be nostalgic, bringing up memories that can be happy, sad or bittersweet. Music can also be a creative outlet and I am so envious of those who have a talent for it. I have quite a few insanely talented family members who are gifted with a great singing voice or the ability to play instruments. I can only dance with wild abandon, not caring that I might look like Elaine from Seinfeld, and sing loud and bad in the privacy of the shower or my car.

I am proud to say that I am influenced by Rock and Roll. But, as I grow older, I find myself turning the dial down a few notches, or switching my radio station to soft rock. I even had a client help spark some interest in classical music... but every so often I have to unleash the beast inside me. I need to feel the physiological changes that come with the feel of a hard beat in my chest and the rush of endorphins that mask over a backache or chase the wild horses out of my head. Music has not only had the power to make me happy, sad or nostalgic, it also gives me inspiration, power and the courage to get up and dance in front of strangers. I can't live my life without it!

I love great quotes, so I will end with one that I heard from Wayne Dyer:

"Do not die with your music still in you"

Love,

Sandy

This is me and my nephew, Nick, who was trying to teach me the basics. He is hands down the most talented person in the family!

CONFESSIONS OF A MASSAGE THERAPIST

February 7, 2018 Sandra Partridge

SO FAR, I'VE LEARNED THIS MUCH....

The only time I multi-task anymore is in the kitchen. I think it's because I know that I will accomplish something good and complete. The act of chopping vegetables, sauteing garlic and onions, experimenting like a mad scientist with spices and herbs while rarely needing a recipe to follow, has become my source of therapy. It is also my opportunity to be creative and to provide something nourishing for me and my loved ones.

It's hard to believe that when I was a young adult, I actually hated the idea of being in the kitchen. At the time, I veiwed it as enslavement, an expectation that comes with being a girl, which made me feel angry and resentful. Unfortunately, this is the negative energy I put into any cooking that I did do. Most of the time, in order to avoid being June Cleaver from Leave it to Beaver, I lived off of cereal, canned soup and Cheez-Its (talk about cutting off my nose to spite my face!) Thank God I've made some changes over the years!

In the last paragraph, I mentioned negative energy. Studying some Ayurvedic Medicine over the years, it is believed that the energy that is put into the process of preparing meals is actually absorbed by the food. At first, I thought this concept was a bit out there, but when I think about my old ways and how my attitute affected my food, I've become convinced that there is definate merit to this belief. Have you ever thought that a meal prepared by someone else, especially by someone that loves you, tastes better than if you prepared it yourself? Even something simple like a grilled cheese sandwich made with the same bread, same ingredients, same preparation- tastes like a gourmet treat if it wasn't done yourself. Now when I prepare meals, I am aware of my mental state because I believe that the good mojo I put into it effects not only my well-being, but also that of the person I am sharing with as well.

The topic of nutrition certianly goes beyond food itself. More imprtantly, it's the relationship with food that makes the biggest difference and can solve most people's issues with weight management and disease. I confess that at that crazy time in my life, I was not healthy at all. My job was chaotic and stressful, I commuted an average of two hours ONE WAY in the worst traffic, and by the time I got home, I was cranky and not fun to be around. Healthy nourishment was the last thing on my mind, so I really didn't think about what I was putting into my body. One of the greatest advantages of youth is that the body can tolerate abuse, but mind the word tolerate. Like being in an abusive relationship, there's only so much that can be tolerated before the shit hits the fan! One of my favorite quotes from someone unknown describes the aging process as "the result of what you did to yourself when you were young." No matter what age, heed that warning and think about consequences!

Also, think about the difference between the definition of "diet" and "nourishment". Am I correct to say that most people dread the word "diet" due to the thought of restriction and being forced to adhere to some kind of plan? When I hear the word "nourishment", I think of what is necessary for growth and health, like how a loving mother nourishes her children. I have thrown the word "diet" out of my vocabulary and replaced it with "nourish". It has made a huge difference!

Lastly, I STOPPED STRESSING OVER FOOD! I believe that bad thoughts are worse than bad foods, but I didn't always think this way. Being a Nutritionist, I do tons of research which turns into too much information about what is good, what is bad; what used to be good but now it's not; what fad diet is out, what new fad diet is in; organic or not but everything seems to be poisoned anyway ... all overwhelming and stressful! I felt like everything was just so confusing that I couldn't form any final judgements. I was obsessing over labels, narrowing my choices for food, becoming "that person" in the restaraunt. I wasn't enjoying life, including "pizza night" with my family, and I'm sure people around me condisidered me to be a pain in the ass! I realized that obsessing caused me more anxiety than anything, so I allowed myself to relax, knowing I can't control everything that is put into foods, regardless of it being natural or organic. I think that if good choices are made most of the time, then savoring occasional moments with chocolate and a Margherita will not harm me. I Just do it with happiness and I do not waste my time with guilt or regrets!

I will end with another great quote (I don't know who said it) that has made an impact on me, and I hope you take the time to think about what it means to you:

"True health is not the pursuit of the perfect body".

Love,

Sandy