Beat the Winter Blues Update

A couple of weeks ago I suggested taking a walk at lunchtime to get some midday sunlight and some healthy exercise.  We already know that exercise has significant benefits for mood and energy levels and has the potential for managing addictions.  Now there’s an even better reason to go for a walk.

According to research published by the University of Exeter, a 15 minute walk can cut your snacking at work by a half.  The researchers invited 78 regular chocolate eaters to abstain from chocolate for2 days and then enter a simulated work environment.  They were asked to take a brisk 15 minute walk on a treadmill and then they divided into four groups.  The first group was given an easy, low-stress task and the second was given a more difficult task.  The other two groups were asked to have a rest before being given the same tasks as the first two groups.  Chocolate was freely available to all the teams.

The groups who had exercised before working ate on average half the amount of chocolate eaten by the others.  The difficulty of the task made no difference to the amount of chocolate they consumed.

Professor Adrian Taylor, lead researcher, said: “We know that snacking on high calorie foods, like chocolate, at work can become a mindless habit and can lead to weight gain over time. We often feel that these snacks give us an energy boost, or help us deal with the stress of our jobs, including boredom. People often find it difficult to cut down on their daily treats but this study shows that by taking a short walk, they are able to regulate their intake by half.”

You can read more at http://www.sciencedaily.com Dec 7 2011

A Festive Recipe

Last week, along with the sales catalogues and Christmas cards, I received a flyer from a local firm of solicitors with a special offer. It was for free initial advice on divorce and family law. The offer ends on 31 January. This is not a piece of random marketing because family law solicitors are particularly busy at this time of year.

Relationships can come under pressure for a variety of reasons; seasonal depression, financial pressure, anticipating spending time with relatives, an excess of alcohol at parties etc. Some people see Christmas or the New Year as an arbitary deadline for getting their lives sorted out.

If you are in an abusive relationship then you need to take action. But if your relationship is just at a low ebb, stop, think again and consider taking some relationship advice or therapy.

There are lots of new and traditional recipes around at this time of year so how about a recipe for  happier Christmas relationships?

Ingredients:

A good helping of patience

A pinch of time spent alone with your partner

An extra helping of laughter and fun

One cup of tea (served hot to partner in bed)

A handful of hugs to increase happiness hormones

A helping of shared exercise for health and well-being

A generous helping of happy memories that you’ve shared

 

Method:

Combine all of the ingredients. Look back over the happy memories and make them as vivid as possible so that you can really enjoy them.  Review the highlights with your partner every evening to ensure that everything is cooking well. At the end of three days review all of the new happy memories and store them away for easy retrieval during the year.

 

Best wishes for a Happy Christmas 2011.