Author: manton

Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres

Self-Acceptance

manton

Can We Talk About Self Acceptance? Look, we know the majority of us Latinas are overweight. And we know that being overweight and/or obese puts us at higher risk of prediabetes and diabetes. What you may not know is that it also puts us at risk for heart disease and even some cancers. Not to mention self-judgement, self-loathing and yo-yo dieting.

But how much good has it done for us to hate ourselves and go on stupid diets that don’t work? NADA.

¡YA! Enough. At De Las Mías we want you to do something different. It’s time to cambiar el chip. We want you to strive for living a healthier and more joyful life. By making small, healthy changes over time, we are sure you will be happier, healthier and much better off. And rather than beating yourself up and taking extreme measures that don’t work, we encourage you to take this approach and look at your health as a journey.

And believe us, it is a journey. Paso a paso, we will get to our destination:

Una vida más saludable that affirms our authentic selves.

So if you’re just joining us or if you’re already well on your way to a healthier, happier life, we challenge you to incorporate a novel concept into your journey…this novel concept is called Self-Acceptance.

Self- Acceptance 

Self-Acceptance means that you embrace yourself as you are now, without any judgements or criticism. Accept the good with the not so good; the good, the bad and the ugly como el Clint Eastwood.

Not so easy, for us criticonas, right? And if you are a perfectionist, may la virgencita have mercy on you, because self-acceptance is a very hard concept for those of us who criticize too much.

La neta, the truth is, that many of us are just not that kind to ourselves. How many times have you called yourself “tonta”? Be honest. How many times have you heard that little voice inside your head call you dumb, mensa, awkward, clumsy or fat? We are used to living in this good girl, bad girl world. Are you being good when you eat a salad and bad when you eat a donut? Can we just stop that please? Can we separate what we do from who we are?

Accept Yourself as You Are 

We want to challenge you to accept yourself as you are, without judgement, insults or dirty looks in the mirror. No exceptions.  

Here’s an old dicho from Pedro Infante, Mexican film icon and singer, that you may have heard. It was part of a song he sang to impress the ladies: “Soy quien soy y no me parezco a nadie.” It’s a bit like Popeye’s “I yam what I yam.” It means you are you and you aren’t like anyone else. And when you say that, “Soy quien soy,” you claim your uniqueness and your self-acceptance. ¡Eres, única! Embrace it and yourself as you are now, ¡Y ya!

Psychologists and human behavior experts, such as Dr. Pillay from Harvard University Medical School, are discovering the importance of self-acceptance as a foundation to general well-being and good mental health. New research is starting to prove that in order to make healthy changes, it is important that you start with the good foundation of self-acceptance.

Self-Acceptance Doesn’t Mean You Can’t Change

There is an important distinction that I want to make here. Practicing self-acceptance does not mean that you don’t want to change something or make improvements in how you live your life. But self-acceptance is a healthy foundation from which you can grow and change.  

To embark on your odyssey to self-acceptance, I’m offering some tips from positive psychology that you can take on your journey. Try this:

Learn to separate what you do from what you are. Those of you who are moms know this best. When you’re hijita does something bad, it doesn’t mean she’s bad. Making a mistake doesn’t make her a mistake. You just need to help her do better next time. Channel your own best mom and give yourself a break.  

Use Self-Acceptance to Get Yourself Out of Denial.

This is an important point for those of us who have a problem with overeating or eating to satisfy emotional hunger. In an earlier blog, I shared with you a trick that I learned to assess if I was emotionally hungry or physically hungry and I want to share it with you again. If I feel hungry and reach for a healthy snack like a handful of almonds, a yogurt or a pepino con chilito, and I feel satisfied, I know that I was physically hungry. If after my healthy snack, I still feel hungry, it’s a good bet that I am eating to feed an emotional hunger. When you make this discovery, just take it in without judgement. This is good information, a data point. Once you accept that you eat for emotional reasons, you can look for ways to change that habit. If you never accept this as something you do, you will keep repeating it. Self-acceptance is fueled by self-awareness. Awareness is always a good place to start.

Practice Mindfulness

You hear a lot about mindfulness these days. You can use mindfulness in all areas of your life. Basically, mindfulness is paying attention. It is becoming aware of yourself. It is paying attention to what you eat, how you listen, how you don’t listen, and how present you are in your own life.  

One mindfulness practice is to take a few minutes and just be with yourself. Simply observe how you feel and how your body feels, without judgement. Practice this kind of presence of mind and body without self-criticism or put downs. With time, you will start to feel a stronger connection to yourself.   

There is mounting evidence that self-acceptance can lead us to self-care, stronger self-esteem and better health. And at De Las Mías we are all about THAT!

Can you commit to self-care and showing yourself some Amor Propio?   

It can start with you doing nice things for yourself, like getting a massage, eating healthy food, drinking more water, going for a walk, meditating, asserting yourself, speaking up,  saying no when you mean no, and yes when you mean yes.

There are hundreds of ways to show ourselves acceptance and self-love and I want to challenge you to start practicing Amor Propio.

 

A Personal Story of Self-Love: Amor Propio

I want to share a personal part of my story with the hope that it may speak to you: I was born fat. I weighed 12 pounds 6 ounces when I was born in El Hospital Del Socorro in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. I grew up fat until I got amoebas. Then, I was skinny for about a month until my mom and tías figured it out. They put on some kind of tratamiento and I got fat again. In school, because I was fat and tall, my friends used to call me Giant. My cousins called me Gorda; the ones who liked me called me Gordis. My mom, who thought being thin was next to godliness, had me on a diet until I was 18.  She was an early adopter of the Atkins Diet, and she had an eating disorder. Her favorite piece of advice was, “Ya no comas pan.” (Don’t eat bread, already.)

Whatever was going on there, let’s just say that bread was not my enemy. With the help of a well-intentioned mother, I grew up with a messed up body image and a list of forbidden foods. Even at 17 years old, weighing 140 pounds and a 5’7” frame, I still felt fat. I still thought that chocolate, tortillas, tamales, and bread were out to get me. At one point, I had a sign on the refrigerator that said, “Oreo cookies are the road to hell.”

It wasn’t until I hit my late 30s and found a therapist that I began to understand that what I needed more than Thin Within, Weight Watchers, Atkins, South Beach, Low Carb, No Carb, Slimfast or even Overeaters Anonymous, was Self-Love. ¡Amor Propio!  That is what I needed and that is what I got, but it only took me 40 years.

So I’m hoping that my combination of disordered eating, messed up body image and a first class education in health education will help you avoid all those trampas and come out of it less beat up than I did.  

So, as you read this, I just want you to pretend that I am your maestra, your madrina, or your loving tía who loves you just the way you are. And this is your homework:

Make a list of things you can do for yourself that show you some Amor Propio.

¡Andale! Share your list with me at ana@delasmias.com and I will send you a surprise!

Just to get you started here’s my list. The things I do for love – self-love that is!

  1. Me compro flores. Each week, I buy myself flowers. En el Safeway, they cost about 6 or 7 bucks. Carnations last the longest and they smell good and come in all colors.
  2. In the summer, I grow my own dahlias, hydrangeas, roses and zinnias. Se siente bien suave, to put fresh flowers, that you grew yourself, into a pretty vase.  
  3. I ride my bici every chance I get. I love myself on my bike, girl! I ride, rain or shine. No rain shower keeps me from my bici. And when I ride, I give that little girl, the one that used to be called Gorda a run for her money. I sing to myself while I ride. I really do. It’s super fun. (This little light of mine…)
  4. I tell my legs how much I love them! I got some pretty bitchin legs. I’ll tell you what! Riding 5 to 7 miles a day on a bike will do that to a Super Mujer.
  5. I eat vegetables, Sisters! Show your body some serious love by eating fruits and veggies. Learn how to make yourself a Jugo Verde and love yourself before you start your day.
  6. I drink a boat load of water. Yeah, such a simple act of self-love. Take a page from our Creative Director, Shannon, and by yourself a beautiful water bottle and fill it with Amor Propio infused H2O. Make it count = 6 glasses.
  7. No como comida chatarra. I don’t put junk food in my body…unless I’m on a road trip (Fanta and Cheetos!) But that is so rare, Poquito Porque Es Bendito!  
  8. I look for people who laugh at my jokes. I call my seester every day and we make each other laugh. Miriam makes me laugh and Sati just cracks me up. Liz, being from Nogales, gets me like no one else does.
  9. I make myself reach out! Sometimes I’m so busy pretending that I’m la mera mera fregona that I can take it in the chin like the machita that I am, and I go it alone. It don’t work. Call your comadre and tell her what’s going on in that heart of yours. Make sure she’s a kindred spirit so you don’t get hurt.
  10. I treasure my sleep and don’t deprive my body of its magic.

So what do you do for self-love?

Make a list. Share it with me at ana@delasmias.com and I’ll send you a cariñito!

 

 

Sources:

Pillay, Srini, MD. Greater self-acceptance improves emotional well-being. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/greater-self-acceptance-improves-emotional-well-201605169546

University of Hertfordshire. “Self-acceptance could be the key to a happier life, yet it’s the happy habit many people practice the least.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 7 March 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140307111016.htm>.

 

Healthy Body, Healthy Family, Healthy Mexican Food, Latina Community

Meatless Monday

manton

Meatless Monday – A Fun Way to Start Eating More Veggies

One of my healthy living goals for the new year is to cut down on meat, and eat more more fruits and vegetables.  

A fun way to do this is to start a Meatless Monday tradition. So we agreed that we could try new recipes, and start the week off with a slightly healthier approach. Also, in these times of climate change, I am constantly worried about our poor little planet! Eating less meat is good for our bodies and good for the planet – a win-win!  

I was remembering my life in Nogales and how we had Meatless Mondays at my Nana’s house “across the line,” on the Mexican side of border. And then I realized that it wasn’t just Meatless Monday, but also Meatless Tuesday and Meatless Wednesday. And then, wait! Hold on. We pretty much went meatless every day except for maybe Carne Asada Sunday!  

The reason wasn’t that we were trying to save the planet, or lower our cholesterol. The reason was that my Nana and my aunts and uncles who lived in that old adobe house on the hill, didn’t have the money to buy meat for a giant family.

We ate frijoles de la olla, frijoles refritos, sopa de frijoles, enfrijoladas, burritos de frijoles, frijoles con chorizo, tostadas with you guessed it, frijoles, and even a special trick I learned: Cave out a bolillo roll and fill it with frijoles and queso fresco! YUM! This all paired really well with my Nana’s killer salsa de chile verde. And ¿sabes qué? I never once felt deprived. I felt loved and satisfied and nurtured.

When we were on the Mexican side of the border, we were poor and we had a super healthy diet. We never ate large portions because there weren’t that many portions to go around. But we never went hungry either, so we were lucky.

You’ve heard it here before and we will say it again: the traditional Mexican diet is a SUPER healthy diet! Our Mexican diet was pretty much dominated by protein from beans, eggs and queso fresco, and bolstered by corn, which is the grain of the gods. (No fooling.) Sure, we ate meat with our meals, but they weren’t dominated by large portions of it. If we had meat, it was in very moderate to small amounts, and mostly for taste.

But here we are now, trying to adopt a healthier way of living. And all we Mexicans have to do is look back to the way of our Nanas and Tatas!

In doing research about Meatless Mondays, I found out that Meatless Monday started as a movement by our colegas at the Public Health School at Johns Hopkins University, back in 2003. Through research, they discovered that Monday was the ideal day to try to recover from the overindulgence of weekends. (Overeating, disrupted sleep patterns and possibly even drinking too much.)  

Some of this research showed that people were motivated by making a small but significant change at the start of the work week. That is where the idea of Meatless Monday came from. As more and more people adopted the idea of not eating meat on Mondays, they became healthier, poco a poco, over time. Here is more evidence that small changes over time are the ones that last. It wasn’t a drastic thing, but just one day a week. The idea is that we could become just a little healthier if we took this small step. We would become healthier and the planet would benefit too.  

 

So Meatless Monday took off and other countries and organizations started getting on board. Australia tried it. Paul McCartney promoted it. Even beef-consuming Argentina got into the act in 2017 by declaring Vegan Mondays!

If you want to learn more about the history of Meatless Mondays, see the Wikipedia article. It has a fascinating amount of information that will surely inspire you to try it!

So at De Las Mías we want to encourage you to give Meatless Monday a try. Here’s another way to eat more veggies and fruits for your health and help Mother Earth carry the load.

Here are some of the benefits of Meatless Mondays:

  • Lower your cholesterol and therefore, your risk of heart attack and stroke.
  • Help you get to a healthier weight.
  • Help lower your risk of high blood pressure.
  • Increase your intake of fiber and its health benefits.
  • Take a little stress off the planet (plant-based foods take less energy).
  • Use less water to grow food (plant-based foods take less water than animal-based food).
  • Plant-based foods pollute less than cows.  

Try some meatless dishes from De Las Mías:

And we’re curious…

  • What’s your favorite meatless dish?  
  • How would your family feel about starting a Meatless Monday tradition at your house? Would they be on board?
  • What is the biggest barrier to going meatless on Mondays?

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meatless_Monday

https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2017/10/19/argentinas-vegan-mondays

Healthy Mexican Food

The Taquito Diet™

manton

 

The Taquito Diet

At De Las Mías we don’t normally use the word – ‘diet.’ Diets have gotten to be trite and boring, and we don’t like them very much. We know that if you go on a diet, the chances of you succeeding are slim. (No pun intended.)  

Therefore, De Las Mías is not a diet club. We are a healthy lifestyle community. And we are here to help you take steps to be your healthiest self! We focus on the pleasure of eating and cooking good food. We don’t believe in deprivation, as evidenced by our “Poquito de Todo” philosophy. But because we are a healthy lifestyle community and we want to meet your needs, we do pay attention and many of you want to lose weight and want to get healthier and stronger.  

We’re with you! We support you on  your healthy lifestyle journey, but we don’t want you to go on a diet.

Proud Latinas

As you get to know De Las Mías better, you also know that we are proud of being Latinas, and we love nuestra comida. You will find De Las Mías recipes that are Mexican, New Mexican, and Southwestern. We are proud Latinas, Mexicanas and Chicanas and we want you to be proud too! We come from a rich Indo-Hispano tradition and we have a passion for our indigenous roots and foods!

As we grow and add more recipes and ideas on how to live healthier and more joyful lives, we want to add more ways that you can connect with your roots through your enjoyment of delicious, healthy food. And since most Latinas are both indigenous and Spanish, we want to fold in our love for the Mediterranean way of eating and enjoying food. So we are providing you with two ‘undiets’: The Mediterranean (Un)Diet and The Taquito (Un)Diet!

The Taquito (Un)Diet!

I am so proud of being Mexican! We are blessed with one of the most diverse, healthy and delicious foods in the world! Our Indigenous mothers and Spanish fathers, through many trials and tribulations combined to make us and our food, Mestizas! And what a beautiful combination that ended up to be. If you feel like geeking out on the origin of the taco, check out the Smithsonian: Where did the Taco Come From?

Take the humble taco, a portable bundle of deliciousness and health! It’s the perfect package of whole grains, lean protein, vegetables and even sometimes fruit!

You’ve heard of the grapefruit diet, the celery diet, the paleo diet, the Atkins diet, the blah-blah-blah diet! Now let me tell you about the Taquito Diet™, Baby! It’s a modular, delicious, nutritious and soul feeding pathway to health! You saw it here first!

Here is the skinny on the Taquito Diet:

1. You can make a healthy taco!

2. You can lose weight and enjoy your soul food while eating tacos.

3. You can mix and match, get creative and have fun while achieving a healthy lifestyle for you and your familia!

The taco could change your life! ¡Creélo! Believe, Comdres!

Here’s how it works:

1. Start with 3 corn tortillas.

We’re all about eating more whole grains and these thousand year old tortillas are a great low calorie, whole-grain, flavor-packed vehicle for all things deliciosa!

2. Make a sassy sofrito.

One of the very first things that my mother taught me about cooking is to always start with a sofrito. She said that my food would always be delicious if I started whatever I was doing with this magic concoction. It seems like every family has their own version of sofrito. My sister always adds a little fresh garlic, carrots and celery. My Ecuadoran consuegra calls it “Refrito,” and hers includes garlic, onion and achiote.

In our family, it meant simply frying up green chile, onion and tomato in a bit of olive oil before adding your meat, your eggs, or your frijoles de la olla. In Spain, sofrito almost always involves garlic and red pepper. So, the takeaway here is that almost all Spanish, Mexican and Latin American cooks use some kind of sofrito.

Hint: this is one place to add a veggie serving to your day.

3. Add a delicious meat or veggie heart!

A roasted chicken is an easy, simple way to fill your taquitos. Sometimes if we haven’t had a chance to cook dinner, I will stop by the market and get one of those rotisserie chickens that are already roasted. I remove the skin and chop it up for taquitos. I always start with the simple green chile, onion and tomato sofrito my mom taught me to make.

Carne asada is always a class taco choice. Or for the vegetarians in your life a delicious spicy cauliflower.

 

4. Top it off with soul-affirming salsa. ¡Qué viva el chilito!

Salsa is in our blood. Our indigenous ancestors were making salsas before the Spaniards landed. ¿Sabes qué? Mexican salsas originated with the Aztecs. And apparently, the Incas and Mayans were no slackers when it came up to making these tasty concoctions. (Ají, any one?) The base of a good salsa is, el chilito! You cannot have a good salsa without chiles, but the next most common ingredient is el tomate — the tomato.

Salsa, of course, has evolved and many other healthy ingredients were added such as cilantro, parsley, epazote and other spices, and lest we forget, the heroic avocado! Today, there are hundreds of different kinds of salsas. We love fruit salsas, like mango, peach and jicama salsa. Salsas can be raw or cooked. My own favorites are raw salsas, like Pico de Gallo with jalapeños or a good Hatch green chile, or even the humble Anaheim! But one thing is for sure, and that is that salsas are healthy foods that you can use in great abundance and feel good about it. Get your veggies here, Comadres!

Here are some of our favorite salsas:

5. Serve with a side of roasted veggies or raja de chile verde.

And just for safe measure another serving a veggies. 😉

Here are 4 Taquito Diet Recipes in our app to start you on your journey to a better taco!

  1.  Tacos de Camaron
  2.  Tacos de Atun
  3.  Pork Taquitos
  4.  Lazy Sari Avocado taquitos

All of that for just about 500 calories! No fooling. ¡Buen provecho, Guapas!

〰️

Check out the De Las Mias app. It’s free and ready for download in the Google Play Store.  Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @delasmiaslife.

Healthy Comadres, Healthy Family

Healthy Eating Wisdom: Eat Like Your Abuelos

manton

 

Looking for Healthy Eating Wisdom?  Your Abuelos Might Have the Answer

Have you noticed how many diseases are related to what we eat? High blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, cancer. And if you’re trying to come up with a healthy eating plan, it is very confusing. Eat this. Don‘t eat that. Every time you turn around, there is another diet that you have to follow.  It’s enough to make us un poco loca.
But lucky for us, there’s some encouraging news. Researchers are finding out some things that many of us already know. Our grandparents and great-grandparents had a healthier lifestyle than we do, and that’s a fact.

Healthy Eating Wisdom from My Grandfather

Take my Papa Pepe for instance, my dad’s father, who immigrated from Spain. Wiry little dude walked everywhere! If he weighed 135 pounds, he weighed too much. Swore that the onion he chomped on and the copious amount of garlic that my abuela cooked with kept him young and nimble even when the arthritis caught up with him in his 70s. We have an old cane of his that has a black mark on the inside of the curve of the cane, and that was from jumping on the bus. He used to run up to the bus and hook his cane around the door handle and hoist himself up the bus steps without missing a beat.

Three Meals a Day

I remember he bragged about his eating habits. “I eat breakfast, I eat lunch, I eat dinner. ¡Y, Ya!

The big meal in those days, and still today in Spain and Latin America, was lunch. And that was paired up with a nice nap. La hora de la comida, which is what we called it at home, started with soup, then a second dish mostly consisting of a small portion chicken, fish or meat and veggies. Dessert was usually a cup of flan or fruit, or even 2-3 galletitas, usually Marías. Small portions but with a lot of variety.

The soups were basic and traditional like cocido, which is made up of lots of veggies and very little meat. This was my Papa Pepe’s favorite. But there were also the caldillos. Ours were usually made with chopped fresh tomato, garlic, onion and green chile with small bits of lean beef and cubed potatoes. Meat was expensive then, so the meat portions were always small. A chuleta (pork chop) was thin cut and no bigger than the palm of your hand. The side dishes were veggies such as calabacitas, green beans, or a cucumber salad. ¡Un pan! (One piece of bread)

Dinner was lighter than lunch. Some leftovers from lunch perhaps, or a lentil stew with carrots and onions, or even a simple bowl of frijoles de la olla. Sometimes we had chorizo con papas, scrambled up with some eggs. This was a bit heavier, but again, the portions were small, so we could enjoy it without excess. ¡Chiquito pero sabroso! (Small but tasty. )

You can eat a great variety of foods when you eat small portions. “¡Es provete, no traguete!” is one of my favorite dichos related to eating. (It translates to: it’s a taste, not a gorge.) So even a traditional chorizo, which has more fat than a regular cut of lean meat, in small amounts, is delicious. Todo en moderación. (Everything in moderation.)

Papá Pepe was anti-chuchulucos. Now there’s a word for your dictionary! CHUCHULUCOS. (Mostly refers to the sweet stuff, like candy, churros, pies, pan dulce, cakes, etc.) He never touched the stuff.  

So my abuelo ate three meals with no snacks in between; never ate sugar, except maybe in his café con leche, walked everywhere he could, and worked from sun up to sun down. Lived to be 90.

But life has changed. Now we supersize our meals. We use food as a stress management tool and snack for entertainment purposes. The crunchier, the fattier, the more addicting, the more we like it. We sit in our cars, sit in front of our desks, plop down in front of some kind of screen for hours every day and weigh much more than our grandparents did.

One of the most interesting lectures I ever attended as a health educator was years ago from Dr. David Hayes Bautista, a Professor of Medicine and Director of the Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture at the School of Medicine at UCLA. 

He cautioned that “Assimilation could be hazardous to our health,” and it was all about how Mexican immigrants were healthier when they got here than when they had lived here for a few years. Current research from UCLA also shows that as Mexican immigrants spend more time in this country, their health physical and mental health deteriorates.

The basic traditional Mexican diet consists of corn tortillas, beans, fresh vegetables like tomato, avocado, chiles and onions, and some fruit. Traditional Mexican life included walking as a means of transportation and working hard.  

Once we gave up walking as a mode of transportation, changed our traditional lifestyles from working on farms and ranches or even subsistent farming like growing our own food and tending to our orchards, gardens and chickens, we also started eating larger portions and more processed foods with lots more fat, sodium and sugar.

Modern North American life has not been kind to our health. Along with eating more processed and fast foods, came the convenience and affordability of cars. These changes make our lives easier but also carry unintended consequences. (Para cada solución hay un problema.)

We eat more poorly and are less active than our grandparents, and our poor bodies just started slowing down and wearing out.

It’s not rocket science, Comadres. But there you have it.

There’s an old dicho that you might have heard: “Lo que no mata engorda.” The equivalent of – “If it  doesn’t kill you, it will make you fatter.” Now, a more appropriate dicho for our times  may be, “Lo que te engorda, te puede matar,” – “That which makes you fat may kill you.”

Unfortunately, I speak from experience. I just found out that I have prediabetes again. I had been diagnosed with prediabetes many years ago and that is when I started biking every day and cutting back on carbs and fat. I lost the magical 5%-7% of my body weight, and the prediabetes went away. It worked for me for over 10 years.

Recently, I gained some weight, and sure enough, I am back in the prediabetes range. Now let me tell you that I haven’t changed my mind about having diabetes. I do not want diabetes, and I am going to do what I can to prevent or delay it.  

So, I am going to channel Papá Pepe and start going back to a more traditional way of eating. I’m cutting back on portion sizes and do more walking.  

I always thought that I did plenty of exercise. I ride my bike every day, come rain or shine, but I also confess that I’ve been riding to a French Café. So, I’m bailing on the croissant and switching to whole grain toast.

When my Viejo takes our giant dog for a walk in the morning, I’m getting up and going with them even if it means going in my PJ’s. (I’m in Portland right now and people shop in their pajamas here, so I’m cool.)

I’m using our De Las Mías Healthy Lifestyle Checklist and calling my Comadre, best friend and sister, test kitchen chef, extra-ordinaire, and Silver Sneaker maniac to report in.   

No more CHUCHULUCOS for me and that means, not eating those sour ginger candies I get at the corner store! BUMMER! Okay, well maybe just a few on the week end! ¡Poquitos porque son benditos!

I’m going to practice what I preach and let you know how it goes. In 6 months, if I lose 5%-7% of my weight, I should be under the Pre-diabetes range again.  

For now, I’m going to take it easy, be kind to myself, love my body, treat it well, and make it last.

I’m signing off now to take my bici to Petite Provence, to eat my whole grain toast with an egg for protein and to enjoy the fall colors.

¡Hasta la vista!

 

Sources:

Gordon, Dan. Life in America: Hazardous to immigrants’ health? December 01, 2014 

Pérez-Escamilla. Acculturation, nutrition, and health disparities in Latinos. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2011;93(suppl):1163S–7S. 2011 American Society for Nutrition

 

Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres, Healthy Family, Latina Community

Latinas, Cancer and Healthy Lifestyles

manton

Latinas, Cancer and Healthy Lifestyles: What Every Latina Needs to Know

Lately, we’ve been talking about what researchers call the Latino Health Paradox. The mystery of Latino longevity that shows that, a pesar de todo, in spite of all the odds, such as low education, low income, and low access to health care, Latinos still live longer than anyone else in the U.S., and Latinas live longer than anyone else!

That is good news, Comadres!

But even though we live longer than most people in the U.S., we are not protected from obesity, heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. We hear a lot about diabetes in our community, but not that much about cancer, and cancer is a doozy.

Latinas and Cancer is a complex topic, but it’s one we think is important for you and your comunidad to understand. (Hint: Prevention and early detection!)

Latinas and Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society 2018-2020 report, Latinos and Latinas are less likely to be diagnosed with cancer than non-Latino whites overall, but cancer is the leading cause of death among Latinos. (Go figure!)

There are several reasons for this confusing fact. One reason may be that incidence of cancer is just lower among Latinos, which would be very good news, indeed. But another reason might be that Latinos get diagnosed in later stages of cancer when it is too late to cure it. And that is tragic news, Comadres, because many cancers are curable if we catch them early enough.

Another blow to the cancer dilemma among Latinos is that many of us don’t have access to health care. Some simply don’t have the resources to treat cancer when it happens. Many states have cancer early detection programs that are often free or low cost. In some states, there may even be low cost treatment options, but being low income and not having health care is still a huge challenge and one that we need to address. (a discussion for another day).

We have prepared an overview on Latinas and Cancer.   Here are some Healthy Lifestyle steps to take to protect yourself.

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is lower among Latinas than non-Latinas in the U.S., but breast cancer is still the leading cause of death among Latinas.  

The reason why: breast cancer in Latinas is often found in the advanced stages when it is harder to cure. Latinas don’t get mammograms at the same rate as non-Latina whites. Some of our comadres can’t afford it, but some of them just don’t get mammograms. They’re busy or they’re embarrassed or they just don’t want to deal with it, but they don’t go and that does not end well.

Early detection of breast cancer saves lives.

What to do:

  • If you are 40 to 44, the American Cancer Society recommends that you start talking to your doctor about mammograms.
  • If you are between the ages of 45 and 54, the American Cancer Society recommends a yearly mammogram.
  • If you are over the age of 55, the American Cancer Society recommends a mammogram every two years.
  • All women need to learn how to do self examine our breasts. Your health care provider can teach you how. Just ask!
  • If you don’t have insurance, there are breast cancer early detection programs in all states that can help you. Some programs may even have free or low cost treatment options.
  • If you care about your comadres, moms, sisters, friends and madrinas, share this information with them. Offer to go with them to their mammograms. Go get coffee and dessert afterwards!

Colorectal Cancer

Although colorectal cancer among Latinos is lower than among Non-Latino Whites, colorectal cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer among Latinas and Latinos. Colorectal cancer is the 3rd leading cause of cancer deaths among Latinos.

Colorectal cancer is a very treatable cancer, if caught early.

Latinos and Latinas are squeamish when it comes to colorectal cancer screening. (¡Nos da asco!) Latinos undergo colorectal screening less than any other group.  And the result of not getting screened is a tragedy that does not have to happen.

What to do:

  • The only way to catch colorectal cancer early is to make yourself go through the yukky tests! There are several tests that are commonly used to find colorectal cancer. None of them are fun or pleasant and many of us are just too embarrassed or grossed out to do them.  
  • There are 2 stool tests that are commonly used. They detect blood in the stool.  You may know them as the FIT, which stands for fecal immunochemical test, or the FOBT, which stands for fecal occult blood test. (Basically it involves putting some poop on a card and sending it in for analysis. So, yes, fuchi, but effective, and it could save your life.)
  • The other common test is the colonoscopy, which involves a tripa up your rear end.  That’s where the colon is. This falls into the category of ¡Ni modo! Grin and bear it. They give you a sedative to make you more comfortable and to help you forget it ever happened. Some people don’t feel a thing. ¿What do you say we just get over the vergüenza and do the test, Comadres?  
  • Talk to your doctor about which colorectal cancer screening test is best for you, and preserve your long life!

Cervical Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, the cervical cancer rate among Latinas is 40% higher than among non-Latina white women. Although cervical cancer rates have gone down over the last few years, it is still too high for us, Comadres!

Cervical cancer is caused by certain kinds of viruses, called HPVs (the human papillomavirus). Sometimes the virus goes away on its own. But over time if HPV doesn’t go away, it can cause cervical cancer.

What to do:

  • The main way to prevent HPV is to get the HPV vaccine. The CDC recommends that all children, boys and girls, get the vaccine between the ages of 13-17 so they can be protected for the rest of their lives.
  • Recently, the HPV vaccine was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for people up to the age of 45. Check with your doctor and find out if  you can get vaccinated.
  • If you have HPV, the way to catch it before it becomes cancer is to have cervical cancer screening. It starts with a pap test and you may need an HPV test as well.  
  • Smoking puts us at risk of persistent HPV infections and cervical cancers. So if you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you smoke, quit.

Stomach Cancer

Stomach cancer is higher among Latinas than non-Latina white women. Scientists don’t have a full understanding of stomach cancer yet, but they have linked some stomach cancers to exposure to bacterial infections of the stomach.  Some of these infections can be found and treated. More studies are needed to learn more about why Latinos and Latinas are at higher risk of stomach cancers.

What to do:

  • If you have had stomach bacterial infections, talk to your doctor about what you can do to protect yourself from stomach cancer.
  • If you smoke, quit. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. (Seeing a theme here?)
  • Cut down on drinking alcohol. It is recommended that women drink only one alcoholic drink a day.
  • Avoid foods that are preserved with salt and limit your intake of smoked or charred foods.
  • Cut down on processed meats, like bologna, chorizo, and ham
  • Eat plenty of fruits and non-starchy vegetables like onions, garlic and leeks. There are studies that show these  kinds of fruits and veggies can protect against stomach cancer.
  • Follow good hygiene practices such as washing your hands after you go to the bathroom, washing fruits and veggies before you eat them, and being careful with how you store your food

Gallbladder Cancer

Gallbladder cancer is higher among Latinas than among non-Latina whites. It is also higher among Latinas than in Latinos. More research is needed on gallbladder cancer and why it is so high among Latinas.

Possible connections are being overweight, being on hormone replacement therapy, and/or if you have had gallstones.

What to do:

  • Cut back on your risk for gallbladder cancer by getting to a healthier weight.  
  • If you are overweight, start eating a healthier diet and get more active.
  • Join De Las Mías and follow our healthy living plan!
  • If you are on hormone replacement therapy, talk to your doctor about this risk.

Latinas, Cancer and Healthy Lifestyles 

We wanted to give you a snapshot of Latinas and cancer, so you can start thinking about it and take action! There’s good news about Latinas and Cancer and it has to do with Healthy Lifestyle.  

Here’s the Good News:

  • The American Cancer Society states that 42% of all cancer cases can be prevented, mainly by not smoking, eating healthfully and being physically active.
  • Other cancers like breast, colon, and cervical cancer can be cured if you catch them early enough.
  • Review this article with your familias. Take these specific steps and protect yourself and your hijas, comadres, tías, moms, and madrinas.
  • If you are lucky enough to be able to sign up for health insurance, do it now. ¡Vale la pena!

For a deeper dive into Latinos and cancer, read the American Cancer Society report: Cancer and Facts & Figures.

The take-away, Comadres, is this: All roads lead to following a healthy lifestyle program like De Las Mías.  

Take back your power and hold on to the Latina Health Paradox! Get your cancer screenings and live to tell the tale! Take charge of your health and your life. You’re driving, Comadre!

Let us know one thing you are doing today to change the cancer story for Latinas!

〰️

Check out the De Las Mias app. It’s free and ready for download in the Google Play Store. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @delasmiaslife.

 

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Sources:

American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures for Hispanics/Latinos. 2018-2020. Atlanta, American Cancer Society, Inc. 2018.

https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/cancer-facts-and-figures-for-hispanics-and-latinos/cancer-facts-and-figures-for-hispanics-and-latinos-2018-2020.pdf

https://www.fredhutch.org/en/events/cancer-in-our-communities/hispanic-americans-and-cancer.html

Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres, Healthy Family

The Mysterious Case of a Long Latino Life

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The Mystery of the Long Lives of Latinos

¿Sabías que? Latinos live longer than other groups in the U.S. And Latinas live longer than almost anyone? (Yes, I am talking about you, Comadre!)

According to the Population Reference Bureau, a non-profit organization that specializes in demographics, Latinos outlive non-Latino whites by 3 years on average.  

Long Live Latinos!

In 2014, life expectancy at birth for the U.S. Hispanic population was 81.8 years, compared with 78.8 years for the U.S. non-Hispanic white population. If you are a Latina, you are expected to live to be over 83 years of age, compared to 81 years of age for a non-Hispanic white women.

¡Imagínate! In spite of Latinos having lower income and less education than other groups in this country, we still live longer! (Strong Stuff!)

It’s a Mystery

Scientists sometimes call this life expectancy mystery the “Latino Health Paradox.”

Here are some of the clues that researchers think may solve the mysterious case of Latino longevity:

One reason that scientists think Latinos may live longer is that we don’t smoke as much as our white and black brothers and sisters. Latinas tend to smoke less than other groups and we tend to quit earlier. Since lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths in this country, and we’re not smoking as much as others, we’re not dying of lung cancer at the same rate. That’s good news!

What to do: If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you smoke, quit.

Another reason that Latinos might live longer is that many of us are immigrants, and immigrants come into this country with better health, better eating habits and more physically active than the folks who already live here. It is only after we spend a lifetime in the States that we start losing our grip on our good health and longevity. 

What to do: ¡Eat like your Abuelos! Go back to your traditional foods. ¡Qué vivan los healthy tacos! Y ¡Qué viva la ‘Mediterranean diet!’ 

Follow the De Las Mías 9 Steps to Healthy Living. Use the De Las Mías app to get healthy and stay on track. Check out our healthy lifestyle checklist in the app! It works, but only if you use it!

A third reason why we might be so tough and resilient has to do with our familias and our comunidad. Dr. Ortega, a researcher at UCLA Center for Latino Health, tells us that our mental health takes a turn for the worse as we lose our family and community connections. This is especially true for our teenagers as they become more Americanized. Hanging on to our cultura, our values, our families and our community makes us stronger and can help our children be more resilient.

Through ongoing research, we are learning that there is a direct link between long-term stress and health. We now know that having social and family support is key to managing stress and that means better mental health, for ourselves and our children.

 

How to preserve our longevity: Hang on to your familias for dear life! Keep on nurturing your familias, vecinos, comadres y compadres as if your health depended on it, because apparently it does!

 

What scientists call the “Latino Health Paradox” is a wonderful mystery that we should embrace and promote in ourselves. Be proud of it, Comadres! We are a resilient, hardworking, healthy people and we need to make the most of this gift.  

Ask yourselves:

  • What can I do to keep this mystery alive and well in myself and my familia?
  • How can I preserve this gift that has been handed down to me by my ancestors?  

And give thanks for the Latino Health Paradox!

〰️

Check out the De Las Mias app. It’s free and ready for download in the Google Play Store.  Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @delasmiaslife.

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Sources:

Scommegna, Paola. New Studies Link U.S. Hispanics’ Longer Life Expectancy to Migration Patterns, Less Smoking. PRB – Population Reference Bureau. September 2017. https://www.prb.org/hispanics-life-expectancy-migration-patterns/

Gordon, Dan. Life in America. Hazardous to Immigrants Health? UCLA Newsroom. 2014. http://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/life-in-america-hazardous-to-immigrants-health

 

 

Healthy Mexican Food

Embracing Our Heritage Through the Love of Food

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Our Rich Heritage Embraced Through Food!

At De Las Mías, we embrace our indigenous and  our Spanish roots.There is so much history that shaped our Indo-Hispano heritage, and some of it is not so good. Oppression and colonization caused pain and suffering. And because of that, we would sometimes like to abandon our past and reject the oppressor. There is merit in rejecting oppression and in countering the negative effects of colonization. But to deny or reject our past can also cause us to reject ourselves, and we don’t want that.

We want to embrace the whole messy thing that brought us to this place, and move on.

Our Heritage and Cultural Pride

I am equally proud of being Mexicana, Chicana, Latina as I am to be Española. I love that my Papá Pepe, my Spanish grandfather, left Spain by himself when he was 13 years old to come to ‘Hacer la America.’ And I’m proud that my Nana Concha, with her Yaqui roots, lived and struggled in a small village in the State of Sonora. This is my heritage and I am proud of it. 

I embrace the traditional and healthy Mexican way of eating, as well as the Mediterranean way of eating. The Mexican way of eating is rich in corn, native vegetables, chiles, nopalitos, tomatoes, beans, and chocolate (lots of chocolate!), and the Mediterranean way of eating is rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, fish, olives and olive oil (lots of olive oil!).

The Mediterranean Diet

There is ample research that the ‘Mediterranean Diet’ provides great health benefits. Adopting it as a way of life is an excellent way to prevent chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, cancer and hypertension.

We are working on having a whole array of Mediterranean inspired recipes to send your way, but for now, let’s take a look at what we mean when we say ‘Mediterranean Diet.’

What makes it special?

The Mediterranean Diet is a way of eating that involves traditional foods commonly eaten in the 16 countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. This way of eating involves eating lots of vegetables and fruits, along with a moderate amount of bread, whole grains, potatoes and nuts, and a lesser amount of dairy, eggs, poultry, and fish. There is almost no red meat in the classic ‘Mediterraneans Diet.’ It also involves copious amounts of olive oil, very little butter, and a little red wine.

According to Clark and Farrow, authors of the wonderful and affordable cookbook, Mediterranean, A Taste of the Sun in over 150 Recipes, these are some of the most common foods and spices that are part of a Mediterranean Diet:

  • Vegetables include artichokes, eggplant, fava beans, fennel, mushrooms, okra, onions, peppers, mostly sweet peppers like red and yellow peppers or pimientos, radicchio, radishes, spinach, tomatoes, grape leaves, zucchini, and olives.
  • Fruits characteristic of the ‘Mediterranean Diet’ are dates, figs, melons, peaches and oranges.
  • Dairy includes goat, cow and sheep cheeses, like Manchego! And of course, yogurt.
  • Legumes include garbanzo beans also known as chickpeas, lentils and navy beans.
  • Nuts include almonds, piñon nuts, walnuts and pistachios.
  • Herbs and spices are bountiful in the ‘Mediterranean Diet’ and perhaps that is the reason why it is so tasty and satisfying. Traditional Mediterranean herbs include basil, bay leaves, chives, cilantro dill, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme, cardamom, chiles, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, mace, nutmeg, pepper and saffron!  
  • Fish, poultry and eggs are key proteins in the Mediterranean way of eating, but the small amount of red meat in this way of eating may account for the great benefits to heart health that are attributed to it.
  • The Mediterranean way of eating includes olive oil almost to the exclusion of any other kind of fat. Olive oil is one of the healthiest fats we can consume.

With this great variety of foods and flavors, how can we not enjoy the bounty of the Mediterranean table?

It is not a way of eating it’s a way of living.

A characteristic that many of us in North America forget to mention when we talk about the Mediterranean way of eating is that it is a lifestyle. It is not just about the food but about how you buy it, prepare it and share it with friends and family. The Mediterranean way of eating involves sitting around a table, talking, eating, sharing stories, taking it slowly and not rushing, being more mindful of the experience of good food and good company.  

So, embrace your multicultural heritage and delve into the Mediterranean way of eating, but take your time, cook it with love and attention, set a table, tell some stories and enjoy! ¡Buen Provecho!

〰️

Check out the De Las Mias app It’s free and ready for download in the Google Play Store. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @delasmiaslife.

————

Source:

Clark, Jacqueline and Farrow, Joanna. Mediterranean, A Taste of the Sun in over 150 Recipes. Hermes House. 2003.

 

Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres

Stress Management and Traditional Latina Remedios

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Stress Management Latina Style 

We come from a rich Indo-Hispano tradition of adversity, cultural clashes, magical spirituality and wisdom. We carry this mixed bag passed down by our grandmothers, madrinas, tías and mothers. It’s in our blood and in our soul. We hand it down to the next generation through our DNA, our traditions, memories, stories and practices.  But did you ever think of these remedios as stress management tools?

As we take a deeper dive into the negative effects of stress in our lives, and we become more immersed in the science of chronic stress and its effects on our health, we can also dig deep into how our abuelas and great-grandmothers endured and thrived in spite of their adversity. They may not have been calling it that, but those tips, tricks and yes, even brujerías, were the original stress management tools!

Two concepts come to mind when thinking of stress management in Latino cultures. One is Aguantar and the other is Remedios. One is better than the other.

 Aguantar is one of those words that has much more meaning in Spanish than in English. In English it means to put up with, to endure. But for generations, we Latinas have been conditioned to not just endure, but to be silent about it. That “Calladita me veo más bonita” type of endurance. Aguantar goes with silence and that goes hand in hand with “sucking it up” for the sake of others. You’ve seen it in your mothers, tías and abuelas, that stoic dignity that comes from suffering – from grinning and bearing it.

I loved attending the #WeAllGrow Latina Summit last year and seeing droves of young Latinas pass by ¡Calladitas No More! banners, some even taking selfies by this 3-word manifesto: Silent No More!

Latinas are learning and growing and taking back our health, our power and our joy. As always, and like good Latinas, we do this not just for ourselves, but also for our familias. And that is a very good Latina tradition that we vow to pass down.

The other concept that comes to mind as we explore this multigenerational link of Aguantar el Estrés, is the concept of Remedios.

All things have a dark and light side and to me, the light side of Aguantar is the magic and power of our Remedios. The Remedy!

Remedios carries with them the magic of healing, of miracles, of hopeful expectancy. I went on a Búsqueda of Remedios that can help with stress management and here are a few that I found in my own Remedios Tool Box: 

1. El Santuario. The Sanctuary.

You may associate the word sanctuary with a church, such as El Sanctuario de Chimayó in beautiful Northern New Mexico, but you can make your own little sanctuario in your home or garden. Claim a little corner somewhere in your home or garden.  When you make this special sacred place, you can use it as an intentional remedio to help you cope with stress. Your bedroom works well for a sanctuario because often, it is the most private place in a home.

  • Start by claiming it as a special place where you can go for a quiet moment.
  • Place a few objects there that have meaning for you. A picture of your dad if that inspires strength, or a picture of your mom, if she inspires faith.
  • Place a picture or statue of your favorite Santito, or Our Lady of Guadalupe, a rosary, or whatever holds sacred value or a positive memory.  
  • Choose a candle that you will light only when you are in the room and place it securely on a flame proof base. (Twice, I almost burned the house down.)
  • Add some flowers. A bowl of holy water, or a bowl of water that you have blessed yourself.
  • Spend a few minutes with your sanctuario every day or acknowledge it when you pass by.

Use this sacred space to let go of your stress, worry and fear. Practice this and little by little you might find some magical refuge.

2. Sanctuary Creative Visualization

Another sanctuary practice that is lovely and has given me comfort in hard times is to do a deep relaxation exercise and add a creative visualization. Imagine a special place in your mind’s eye where you can go to feel comfort and peace. Does a beautiful garden come to mind? Or a special place to go for a sunset? Perhaps you went for a long walk on a beach one day and you felt relaxed and at peace. Take a few minutes and create this special sanctuary in your mind.  Feel peace and refuge there and go back anytime you want.

3. Un Tecito. A little cup of tea.   

Latinas have a long tradition of drinking their tecitos. Té de manzanilla – Chamomile tea is the most common. We even give it to babies to relax! Take a break, brew some tea, sit down and drink it in. As you sip your tea, try to relax and “letigo.”  

Té de tila – Linden tea is popular as a relaxation tea, but you shouldn’t drink it if you are pregnant or have heart disease. If you have any kind of chronic condition, it is always a good idea to ask your doctor if you should drink té de tila.  

Another favorite is té de azar – which is orange blossom tea. Té de azar was the classic tea given to young ladies when they were nervous before the big dance. Life is a big dance, sometimes, Comadres, so fortify yourselves.

Any kind of herbal tea will do. There are some great teas, like Sleepy Time, that will do the trick

3. La Limpia. The Cleanse.

Limpia has different meanings to different folks. Most would agree that a limpia is a cleanse. You might want to ask your abuelas and madrinas what they have used to do a limpia, or if they ever did one at all. Not all Latinas practice this tradition, but the basic limpia that I do is simply get some good sage and burn a little in a metal or ceramic bowl. It’s nice to offer it to the four directions, face each direction and let the smoke go over your head. After you smudge, you could put a few lemon drops in a cup of water in spray bottle and spray the room. This is a simple ritual that could help you feel more relaxed after an argument, after a guest leaves your house if she or he stressed you out, or you feel tension or unpleasantness in the room and you want to “clear the air.”  The important quality to try to achieve is to intentionally let go of tension, stress, and malas vibras.

4. La veladora. The blessed votive.    

We love our candles, but we have to be careful. Did I tell you I have almost burned down the house twice?! So fair warning, comadres! But there are some wonderful veladoras out there. Te prendo una veladora always means I will light a candle to help make your wish come true. So use your veladoras, wisely. I burn mine in the fireplace now, so there is no chance that I will cause a fire except the one that is burning in my passionate heart. We love the classic Virgen de Guadalupe votives.

5. El Bubble Bath.  

I’m a Latina and I am a grandmother now, so you can say this one came from an old abuela. I love a good bubble bath. Just take some “me” time, ¡Comadres! Get some bubbles, put on some relaxing music, a do not disturb sign on the bathroom door and chill out! This remedio works wonders if your back aches or you have tired feet from standing all day at work.

 

What are some of your tried and tested remedios? What customs from your culture do you bring to your own stress management?

Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres

Deep Relaxation: How to Be a Healthy y Calmada Super Mujer

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The Health Benefits of Deep Relaxation

When we are stressed out, and especially when we have been stressed or worried for a long time, it is important to take care of ourselves and learn ways to cope, such as practicing deep relaxation.  The goal is to keep stress from turning into a health problem. If you read Stress and Cortisol, you now know that there is scientific evidence that the long term effects of cortisol can cause health problems, not to mention las lonjitas (those pesky rolls around the middle). It turns out that getting thick around our middles, developing the lonjita syndrome, is not just a cosmetic problem. There is a link between lonjitas and developing chronic conditions like obesity, prediabetes, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.  

Scientists are starting to refer to chronic stress as toxic stress. There is mounting evidence that deep relaxation can help us counter toxic stress and prevent some diseases.

So as time goes by, we will provide you with updated information, tips and tricks on how to counter the negative effects of chronic stress.  

Traditional Forms of Deep Relaxation

Deep relaxation has been around for centuries. Your abuelita probably practiced deep relaxation without knowing it when she prayed the rosary every night before she fell asleep. Praying the rosary has been a Latina ritual for centuries, and now we are starting to find out, that besides feeling closer to the Blessed Mother, Latinas were finding a way, through repetitive prayer, to “letigo.” Letting go is one of the healthiest things you can do if you are under a lot of stress, and there are many ways to do this. Praying the rosary is just one of them.

As our country becomes more culturally diverse, we see men holding prayer beads, and others wearing mala beads around their wrists. In Greece they have worry beads. My friend Julie has some purple amethyst beads to die for! I have an old strand of mala beads that I wear around my left wrist when I am particularly stressed out. For me, they remind me to take deep breaths throughout the day and stop and smell the roses. I also use them to repeat the serenity prayer or if I’m in really dire straits, a bunch of Hail Marys.

Repetitive prayer, like the Hail Mary, the recitation of a mantra, or the Serenity Prayer, helps place you in a relaxed, meditative state. This meditative state is deep relaxation and it helps counter the negative effects of stress.

Some of  us nerviosas, can’t-sit-still types, do the walking meditation technique that we shared a few weeks ago. I have comadres who get a similar benefit from knitting. There are several studies that link knitting to positive health effects, better memory and deep relaxation.

Find your own way of getting into a deep relaxed state at least once a day. There are many good free apps that you can download that will help you meditate, but remember, the goal is the same. Deep relaxation. ¡Namaste, Comadres!

Here is a tried and true technique that I learned many years ago when I worked in a pain management program at the University of Arizona, Southwest Arthritis Center.

  1. Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed for at least 15 minutes.
  2. Sit in a chair in a comfortable position, or on the floor with your back against the wall.
  3. Take a deep breath. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Close your eyes and breathe slow deep breaths.
  4. Repeat. Take at least 5 deep breaths and feel your body relax.  
  5. Let go of the tension in your body.
  6. Pay attention to where you feel tense, and go there with your mind and just breathe into it.  
  7. Now start at your feet and pay attention to how they feel. Relax your feet.  Breathe into your feet in your mind’s eye and relax the muscles.
  8. Now go to your calves, breathe, relax, let go of tension in your calves.
  9. Now move up, taking slow deep breaths to your thighs. Relax.
  10. Up to your hips, your waist and chest. Take nice slow breaths and relax.
  11. Keep going up to your neck and move it slightly back and forth in a slow motion until you feel the muscles in your neck relax. Keep up your slow deep breaths.
  12. Now up to your face, your mouth,  your jaw, your nose, eyes and whole head. Tell yourself to let go of all the tension in your body.
  13. Now go back to your back and try to relax your muscles in your back, your buttocks and down the back of your legs, all the way back to your feet.
  14. Take a few more deep breaths.
  15. Stay in this relaxed position for a few more minutes. When you are ready, open your eyes.
  16. Now, slowly get up and go about your day.

There are other ways to go into a deep relaxed state. The Sanctuary Visualization technique is one we shared with you previously in The Vision Map. There are many Creative Visualization techniques that are fun, whimsical and relaxing, but this simple technique is a good place to start.

Do you practice a deep relaxation technique? What works best for you? Share your wisdom with us, Comadres!

I wish you Paz, Comadres. ¡Buena, Suerte!

 

 

Sources:

Benson, Herbert. The Relaxation Response. 2000. Harper Collins

Riley, J., et al. The Benefits of Knitting for Personal and Social Wellbeing in Adulthood. Findings from an International Survey. Journal of Occupational Therapy. February 15, 2013. https://doi.org/10.4276/030802213X13603244419077

Gawain, Shakti. Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life. 2002. Nataraj Publishing.

Healthy Body, Healthy Comadres, Uncategorized

Stress, and How It Can Affect Your Health and Weight

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Stress and How it Can Affect Your Health and Weight

Stress can affect your health and your weight. To understand more, let’s review a simple definition. Stress is your body’s reaction to change. All change is stressful. Any kind of change that causes your body or mind to react is stress. All of us have stress. We can experience it from any change in our everyday life. You can’t avoid it. Both happy and sad changes can cause us stress. Long-term stress, or chronic stress, however, can be harmful to your health. It can also make it harder for you to get to a healthy weight.

Scientists are beginning to call chronic or long-term stress, Toxic Stress. Dr. Thornburg, Director of The Moore Institute at  Oregon Health Sciences University has this to say: “Toxic stress, also referred to as chronic stress, is frequent or prolonged exposure to adversity. This can take the form of abuse, neglect, exposure to violence, or extreme economic hardship.”

Cortisol, the Stress Hormone

Dr. Thornburg explains that any type of stress causes a number of hormones to be released directly into the bloodstream. In the short-term these hormones help a person cope in response to a perceived threat. One of those hormones that can help a person cope with stress is cortisol. However, he goes on to explain, when a person experiences chronic stress or long term stress, the body produces too much cortisol and for a longer period of time. He compares it to the “body’s alarm button getting stuck in the ‘on’ position.”

Other studies suggest that when levels of cortisol stay high throughout the day, the body has a hard time adjusting. This long-term release of cortisol is linked to gaining weight around your waist. (Las Lonjitas.)  Having this extra weight around our middles puts us at higher risk for chronic conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease. Studies are finding that cortisol may also cause an increase in appetite and cravings. So, it’s not a myth that stress can cause you to want more Cheetos, papitas y chicharrones. 

Okay, that is the bad news, Comadres! But the good news is that the better you are at coping with stress, the better your chances are at protecting yourself from its negative effects.

The first step in solving a problem is to become aware of it. The second step is to make a plan to tackle it!

Take these steps to cope with stress:

  1. Learn to recognize the warning signs of stress. Pay attention to yourself. Ask yourself: “Have there been lots of changes in my life lately?” Are you feeling moody, angry or irritable? Do your muscles feel tight? Clenching your jaw at night when you sleep?  
  2. Have you noticed that you eat for emotional reasons? Ask yourself if you are physically hungry or emotionally hungry?
  3. Eat a healthy diet. Eat more vegetables, lean protein and whole grains.  Check out the De Las Mías 9 Step Eating Plan. And the Daily Checklist on our App! Check those healthy habits ever day! 
  4. Are you craving salty, crunchy, fatty, or sugary foods? Do yourself a favor and take these foods out of your house, desk, car, and/or mattress.  
  5. Keep a food diary or use one of our De Las Mías tools in the app to track your food and moods. Look for patterns. Does your mood affect your food choices?
  6. Get support. Talk to your comadres, friends, sisters or mom about problem solving.
  7. Make a plan. Ask for help. 
  8. Move your body, Muchacha! Go for a walk. Dance up a storm. Have sex.
  9. Get some shut-eye! Sleep is super important. If you aren’t getting good sleep, figure out how you can. Ask for professional help if you need it.  
  10. Keep a journal and write your feelings down. You can get great relief from keeping a diary just like when you were a little girl. Remember? Get yourself a worry box. I have one! If I am worried about something and the worry won’t go away, I write it down and put it into my worry box. It’s easier for me to let it go that way. Try it!  
  11. Learn to practice deep relaxation. Take deep breaths. Do Yoga. Stretch. Pray the rosary. Knit. Crochet. Embroider. These are all good ways to manage stress.

And, Comadres, please, if you feel helpless or hopeless and all your ganas are gone, or if you have been crying or thinking sad thoughts for more than two weeks, please ask for professional help. Go to your comadre, a priest, a pastor or a nun. Seek the help of a counselor, social worker, doctor or nurse. Tell someone, but please don’t suffer alone.  If you ever think of harming yourself or others, call: 1-800-273-8255. En español: 1-800-628-9454

 

Sources:

Thornburg. https://www.ohsu.edu/xd/education/schools/school-of-medicine/departments/the-moore-institute/about/message-from-director.cfm

Torres. Nowson. Relationship between stress, eating behavior, and obesity. Nutrition. 2007 Nov-Dec;23(11-12):887-94. Epub

Harding, et al. Psychosocial stress is positively associated with body mass index gain over 5 years: evidence from the longitudinal AusDiab study.Obesity (Silver Spring). 2014 Jan;22(1):277-86. doi: 10.1002/oby.20423. Epub 2013 Jun 13.

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/stress/index.shtml

Epel ES, et al. Stress and body shape: stress-induced cortisol secretion is consistently greater among women with central fat. Psychosom Med 2000 Sep-Oct;62(5):623-32.