BANG HEAD HERE STRESS REDUCTION KIT

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1 WHAT S UP this Month! Healthy Living Strategies 9 Power Foods to Boost Your Immunity! Don t Worry...BE HAPPY! WHAT S COOKING? Immune Boosting Recipes This monthly E-Blast is a joint publication of the Watertown City School District Faculty & Staff JANUARY 2017 Every part of your body, including your immune system, functions better when protected from environmental assaults and bolstered by healthy-living strategies: STRESS REDUCTION KIT BANG HEAD HERE Directions: 1. Place kit on FIRM surface 2. Follow directions in circle of kit 3. Repeat Step #2 as necessary (or until loss of consciousness) 4. If unconscious, cease stress reduction activity.

2 That Boost Your Immune System! You're washing your hands, using Purell like crazy, and sneezing into your elbow. Now add these superfoods to your diet for an extra flu-fighting punch. YOGURT Probiotics, or the "live active cultures" found in yogurt, are healthy bacteria that keep the gut and intestinal tract free of disease-causing germs. Although they're available in supplement form, a study from the University of Vienna in Austria found that a daily 7oz. dose of yogurt was just as effective in boosting immunity as popping pills. Your optimal dose: Two 6-ounce servings a day. OATS & BARLEY These grains contain beta-glucan, a type of fiber with antimicrobial and antioxidant capabilities more potent than Echinacea, reports a Norwegian study. When animals eat this compound, they're less likely to contract influenza, herpes, even anthrax; in humans, it boosts immunity, speeds wound healing, and may help antibiotics work better. Your optimal dose: At least one in your three daily servings of whole grains. GARLIC This potent onion relative contains the active ingredient allicin, which fights infection and bacteria. British researchers gave 146 people either a placebo or a garlic extract for 12 weeks; the garlic takers were two-thirds less likely to catch a cold. Other studies suggest that garlic lovers who chow more than six cloves a week have a 30% lower rate of colorectal cancer and a 50% lower rate of stomach cancer. Your optimal dose: Two raw cloves a day and add crushed garlic to your cooking several times a week. Got Garlic Breath? You can mask a garlicky mouth for a few minutes with parsley, mints, or mouthwash, but you can't eliminate it. That's because garlic's telltale aroma isn't caused by bacteria in the mouth (the most common cause of bad breath), but instead by odor-causing substances that are digested and absorbed into the bloodstream. As you metabolize garlicky food, the scent seeps out through your lungs and pores, which can last for a few hours or more. You simply have to wait until your body finishes processing the garlic. SWEET POTATOES Your skin is a crucial part of your immune system. It serves as a first-line fortress against bacteria, viruses, and other undesirables. To stay strong and healthy, your skin needs vitamin A which plays a major role in the production of connective tissue, a key component of skin. One of the best ways to get vitamin A into your diet is from foods containing beta-carotene (like sweet potatoes), which your body turns into vitamin A. Your optimal dose: A half-cup serving which gives you 40% of the DV of vitamin A as beta-carotene. Think orange when looking for other foods rich in beta-carotene: carrots, squash, canned pumpkin, & cantaloupe. SHELLFISH Selenium, plentiful in shellfish such as oysters, lobsters, crabs, and clams, helps white blood cells produce cytokines proteins that help clear flu viruses out of the body. Salmon, mackerel, and herring are rich in omega-3 fats, which reduce inflammation, increasing airflow and protecting lungs from colds and respiratory infections. Your optimal dose: Two servings a week (unless you're pregnant or planning to be). CHICKEN SOUP When University of Nebraska researchers tested 13 brands, they found that all but one (chickenflavored ramen noodles) blocked the migration of inflammatory white cells an important finding, because cold symptoms are a response to the cells' accumulation in the bronchial tubes. The amino acid cysteine, released from chicken during cooking, chemically resembles the bronchitis drug acetylcysteine, which may explain the results. The soup's salty broth keeps mucus thin the same way cough medicines do. Added spices, such as garlic and onions, can increase soup's immune-boosting power. Your optimal dose: Have a bowl when feeling crummy. BEEF Zinc deficiency is one of the most common nutritional shortfalls among American adults, especially for vegetarians and those who've cut back on beef, a prime source of this immunity-bolstering mineral. Zinc in your diet is very important for the development of white blood cells, the intrepid immune system cells that recognize and destroy invading bacteria, viruses, and assorted other bad guys. Your optimal dose: A 3-oz serving of lean beef provides about 30% of the Daily Value (DV) for zinc. That's often enough to make the difference between deficient and sufficient. Not a beef person? Try zinc-rich oysters, fortified cereals, pork, poultry, yogurt, or milk. MUSHROOMS For centuries, people around the world have turned to mushrooms for a healthy immune system. Contemporary researchers now know why. Studies show that mushrooms increase the production and activity of white blood cells, making them more aggressive. This is a good thing when you have an infection. Your optimal dose: Shiitake, maitake, and reishi mushrooms appear to pack the biggest immunity punch; experts recommend at least ¼ ounce to 1 ounce a few times a day for maximum immune benefits. Add a handful to pasta sauce, sauté with a little oil and add to eggs, or heap triple-decker style on a frozen pizza. TEA In a Harvard study, people who drank 5 cups a day of black tea for 2 weeks had 10 times more virus-fighting interferon in their blood than others who drank a placebo hot drink. The amino acid that's responsible for this immune boost, L-theanine, is abundant in both black and green tea decaf versions have it, too. Your optimal dose: Several cups daily. To get up to five times more antioxidants from your tea bags, bob them up and down while you brew.

3 4 Things You Can Do This Week to Be a Happier Person Make your first thought of the day a happy one. SNAP OUT OF IT! Snap out of that negative mindset UNLEASH YOUR INNER CHILD! SLEEP to restore your mind

Stay healthy with these immune boosting recipes!

baby spinach and canned beans. It features a simple homemade basil pesto swirled in at the end to add a fresh herb flavor. Pressed for time?

Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided ½ cup carrot and/or diced red bell pepper 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (+/-8 ounces),

4 Stay healthy with these immune boosting recipes! Chicken & Spinach Soup w/ Fresh Pesto Cheese & Spinach Stuffed Portabellos This fragrant, Italian-flavored soup takes advantage of quickcooking ingredients boneless, skinless chicken breast, bagged baby spinach and canned beans. It features a simple homemade basil pesto swirled in at the end to add a fresh herb flavor. Pressed for time?, Substitute 3 to 4 tablespoons of a storebought basil pesto. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided ½ cup carrot and/or diced red bell pepper 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (+/-8 ounces), cut into quarters 1 large clove garlic, minced 5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth 1½ teaspoons dried marjoram 6 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans or great northern beans, rinsed ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese ⅓ cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves Freshly ground pepper to taste Directions Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over mediumhigh heat. Add carrot and pepper and chicken; cook, turning the chicken and stirring frequently, until the chicken begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Stir in broth and marjoram; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken pieces to a clean cutting board to cool. Add spinach and beans to the pot and bring to a gentle boil. Cook for 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, Parmesan and basil in a food processor (a mini processor works well). Process until a coarse paste forms, adding a little water and scraping down the sides as necessary. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Stir the chicken and pesto into the pot. Season with pepper. Heat until hot. Garnish with croutons, if desired. Directions Here we take the elements of a vegetarian lasagna filling ricotta, spinach and Parmesan cheese and nestle them into roasted Portobello mushroom caps. The recipe works best with very large Portobello caps. Serve with a tossed salad and a whole-wheat dinner roll or spaghetti tossed with marinara sauce. 4 large Portobello mushroom caps ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese 1 cup finely chopped fresh spinach ½ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese, divided 2 tablespoons finely chopped Kalamata olives ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning ¾ cup prepared marinara sauce Preheat oven to 450 F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Place mushroom caps, gill-side up, on the prepared pan. Sprinkle with salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Roast until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, mash ricotta, spinach, ¼ cup Parmesan, olives, Italian seasoning and the remaining ⅛ teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Place marinara sauce in a small bowl, cover and microwave on High until hot, 30 seconds to 1½ minutes. When the mushrooms are tender, carefully pour out any liquid accumulated in the caps. Return the caps to the pan gill-side up. Spread 1 tablespoon marinara into each cap; cover the remaining sauce to keep warm. Mound a generous ⅓ cup ricotta filling into each cap and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan. Bake until hot, about 10 minutes. Serve with the remaining marinara sauce.

Stay healthy with these immune boosting recipes! CHOPPINO A fisherman s fish and shellfish stew from San Francisco, is easy to make, and absolutely delicious with the right ingredients.

Serves 8 Seafood Sauce 3 pounds halibut, sea bass, or other firm white fish, cut into inch-long cubes 1 large (2 lb or more) cooked Dungeness crab (hard shell) 1 pound (or more) of large shrimp 2

5 Stay healthy with these immune boosting recipes! CHOPPINO A fisherman s fish and shellfish stew from San Francisco, is easy to make, and absolutely delicious with the right ingredients. It has Dungeness crab (in season in the winter on the west coast), and usually shrimp, clams and/or mussels, and some firm white fish such as halibut or sea bass. Serves 8 Seafood Sauce 3 pounds halibut, sea bass, or other firm white fish, cut into inch-long cubes 1 large (2 lb or more) cooked Dungeness crab (hard shell) 1 pound (or more) of large shrimp 2 pounds little neck clams and/or mussels (mussels should be scrubbed clean and beards removed right before cooking) 1/2 cup olive oil 1 1/2 cups chopped onion (1 large onion) 1 cup chopped bell pepper (1 large bell pepper) 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon salt 1 28-ounce can tomatoes Broth from the mollusks 2 cups red wine 2 cups tomato juice 2 cups fish or shellfish stock An herb bouquet of bay leaf, parsley, and basil wrapped in a layer of cheesecloth and secured with kitchen string Salt and pepper to taste 1/2 cup minced parsley for garnish Optional seasonings: a dash of Tabasco sauce and or Worcestershire sauce Make the soup base: In a deep 8-quart covered pot, sauté onions and bell pepper on medium heat in olive oil until soft. Add the garlic, sauté 1 minute more. Add tomatoes, broth from the mollusks, red wine, tomato juice, fish or shellfish stock, the herb bouquet, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove herb bouquet. Taste and correct seasoning. Add fish and shellfish: Add the fish and cook, covered, until the fish is just cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the steamed mollusks, crabmeat, and shrimp. Heat just until shrimp are cooked (just 2-3 minutes, until they are bright pink). Do not overcook. Serve: Serve in large bowls, shells included. Sprinkle with minced parsley. Serve with crusty French or Italian bread and a robust red wine. Preparation Steam clams and mussels: Steam mollusks (clams and mussels) in a small amount of water (about two cups) until they just open. Set aside. Strain and reserve the cooking broth. Prepare the shrimp: Split the shrimp shells down the back and remove the black vein. I found the easiest way to do this, without removing the shell, is to lay the shrimp on its side and insert a small knife into the large end of the shrimp, with the blade pointing outward from the back (away from the shrimp and your hands). Once you have split the shrimp shells, you can turn the knife toward the shrimp, and cut in a little to find the black vein. Pull out the vein as much as you can. Alternatively, you can shell the shrimps and devein them. Shell-on imparts more flavor; shell-off is easier to eat.

Fall Detox Guide. 3-Day Plan to Boost Your Health this Fall

Fall Detox Guide. 3-Day Plan to Boost Your Health this Fall Fall Detox Guide 3-Day Plan to Boost Your Health this Fall Fall is a natural time of transition, which makes it ideal for a gentle detox cleanse that will reset your body and mind while priming you for