As the end of Summer approaches, and fixing school lunch boxes begins again with the start of school, let’s celebrate National Sandwich Month by looking at various ways to change up the typical lunch sandwich.
Find sandwich ideas at the Grain Foods Foundation webpage - Sandwich Recipes.
Today, wheat is the planet’s most essential grain, providing essential nutrients, calories and protein. Flatbreads are the base for many peoples’ meals. Pita flatbread is a widely enjoyed yeast-leavened flatbread. Bake your own pita for a BLT Pita sandwich: Get the EatWheat Recipe
*Baking Hack*: Go with whole grain flour but create a soft flatbread using a hot water method popular in South Asia to create a soft Whole Grain Flatbread (Chapati)
Happy Sandwich Making…
Assessing Financial Health
With the rising cost of just about everything these days, financial health (management) is a very important part of our lives. Like physical health, financial health can change over time and needs to be assessed regularly. According to the Financial Health Network, there are four components of financial health, each with two key indicators:
Spend- Spend less than income and pay bills on time and in full
Save- Have sufficient living expenses in liquid savings and sufficient long-term savings or assets
Borrow- Have a sustainable debt load and a prime credit score
Plan- Have appropriate insurance and plan ahead for expenses
For more information, visit the Extension Foundation-Connect Extension Blog, "Financial Health: What It Is and How to Achieve It."
Moderate resistance training helps strengthen bones, manage weight, and improve posture, sleep, mood, and endurance, but fitting it in isn’t always easy — especially when you need to get dinner on the table.
The good news is that you don’t need a gym to fit in a workout; you’ve got all the equipment you need right in your home kitchen. Even a brief kitchen workout can help you maintain a consistent fitness regimen that you can later expand upon.
And you’ll be surprised at just how effective some of these exercises can be.
Countertop Push Ups: Target your triceps, chest, and upper back: Simply face the countertop and place hands on the edge, around shoulder-width apart. Step your feet backward and lift your heels up so your body is in a plank position. Slowly lower your chest toward the counter, keeping your forearms parallel to each other; press your body back to the starting position and repeat.
To work your lower body — quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings — do some Stove Squats. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, interlace your fingers behind your head, and keep your elbows wide and chest high. Lower into the squat position, bending your knees to as close to a 90-degree angle as possible. Rise back up and repeat.
For the back, do some Lateral Pan Raises. Grab a pan — make sure it’s not too heavy — and hold it at your side with palms facing in. Slowly raise the pan outward until your arm is aligned with your shoulder, and then lower to the starting position. Switch hands after each set.
To target your hard-to-reach forearms, try some Forearm Plate Lifts. Simply hold a small plate in one hand, raise your arm out to the side so that it’s aligned with your shoulder, and bend at the elbow, making an L shape that is parallel to the floor. While holding the plate, move your wrist up and down. Then, switch hands. If you feel a burning sensation in your forearms after a few reps, you’re doing it right.
Practice Acts of Kindness to Destress
Radiate kindness on Monday. When you practice kindness towards others it helps them, and surprisingly, it will help you too.
Acts of kindness are motivated by a selfless desire to help another person. However, performing random acts of kindness is one of the best ways to increase your happiness.
There are so many ways you can extend yourself. Being kind could mean leaving a thank you note for your delivery man. It could also mean going deeper, like preparing food for an elderly neighbor or volunteering at a local charity.
Extending kindness can improve your physical and mental health. It can release stress and tension, calm your emotions, and boost your immune system. It can also strengthen your connection with others, fostering a sense of belonging.
On Monday, start practicing kindness and then keep it up the rest of the week. You’ll feel happier and stronger, which will alleviate stress and worry.
Beat the Heat
Drinking water is one way to stay hydrated. The Institute of Medicine reports that people get roughly 80 percent of their necessary water intake from drinking water and other beverages. The other 20 percent comes from eating foods. Some foods have particularly high moisture contents and can be helpful when trying to stay hydrated, especially for those who don’t like to drink much.
