Putting the Devil in Deviled Eggs

Happy Wellness Wednesday, kids!

I'm going to preface this post by emphasizing that I am NOT a health nut, but I do get crazy excited when I find deliciously healthy alternatives to prepping my favorite foods. And I finally found a great and healthy way to make one of the things I love and will overeat at every opportunity:

Deviled Eggs.

Around our house these tend to be the things I hide from my husband (lest we suffer the Thanksgiving gas flashbacks), but if you're a fan of the taste and not the fat, give this quick recipe switch out a try. Everything is a one-for-one swap from the usual mayo/mustard/relish combo that adds so many holiday inches to our hips. Ready for it?

1. Boil your eggs, half, and mash yolks as per usual.
2. All that mayo and mustard you usually use? Use that much red pepper hummus instead.
3. Use relish? Mix in a spicy unsweetened cole slaw mix instead.

YEP. It's that easy to turn the typical unhealthy deviled egg into a nutrient-packed delight, albeit still fairly high calorie. But if you know me, I worry less about calorie quantity than I do calorie quality. This is definitely still not a fat-burning diet food, but I feel loads better eating this than I do fattening condiments.

I'm also a TOTAL hummus fan. Have you guys found any other tricks using it that you'd like to share?

Carpal Tunnel and Other Wine-Related Injuries

Happy Wellness Wednesday!

With so many of us gearing up for the April A-Z Blog Challenge I thought today's wellness post should get us ready for the hours and hours of typing ahead of us. As much as the idea of injuring myself while I'm sitting on my spreading butt makes me giggle, Repetitive Strain Injuries are actually pretty serious.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, "repetitive strain injuries are the nation's most common and costly occupational health problem, affecting hundreds of thousands of American workers, and costing more than $20 billion a year in workers compensation." In case you're not keeping up, that's a 20 with nine big fat zeroes behind it.

Worse, they are so common and misunderstood that many people end up with carpal tunnel or tendonitis and have no idea that A) they've been causing their own pain, or B) they can put a stop to it.

So to help get us through April without ending up like the spray bottle lady below, check out these 10 Simple Tips from RSIPrevention.com . This list includes:

• Keyboard/Hand Positions
• Posture Advice
• Checklists to Ensure the Comfort of Your Work Area, and
• When to Call a Doctor.

via GIPHY

Now... who wants to talk about what people are starting to call "scrolling thumb?"

Remember - keep those keyboards straight and your wrists flexing! I'd personally suggest lifting as many glasses of wine between now and your next long computer session just to make sure your wrists are in shape ;-)

Just Breathe!

On Monday I talked briefly about how much we need to slow down and take that moment to smell the Christmas trees. I know what you're thinking - you're lucky you even had time to stop and read a blog post, and isn't that taking time for yourself anyway? Well, much as we love our dear readers, it's only a start. Today I'm going to go a little farther and talk about how we actually do that.

"Me time" - it's that concept most of us automatically envision involving a bubble bath, candles, and some serious pampering time. But in reality, we often end up congratulating ourselves for even having time to even bathe regularly, let alone in a proper lounging manner with suds and champagne. Finding ways to dismiss the world and its stresses for even 10 minutes at a time and reconnect with yourself can make the difference between being on top of things and feeling overwhelmed. Here are some of my favorite ways to do just that.

• Breathing exercises - Oxygen is going to be your new best friend. Deep breathing helps deliver more oxygen to your brain to help you think more clearly, and it also stimulates the pituitary gland to send out neurohormones whose sole purpose is to make you feel better. Really, they inhibit stress-releasing hormones and trigger a relaxation response, but it makes me happier to think of them as tiny bartenders running around giving stressful me teeny glasses of wine every time I need it. Try some of these breathing exercises, or hit the Googles for more that might fit you better.
• Advice Time - Sometimes more of our stress comes not from making decisions, but in enacting them. That's why just talking through our issues with a friend is often the best therapy, even if your friend's advice is frequently exactly what you already know you should do. But for those worries and concerns you don't feel able to share (we all have our secret burdens), try role reversal. Imagine your friend is dealing with the same situation and write down the advice and solution you would give in that case. You'll find it easier to be objective and frank, and it will be easier to proceed with what you know is the right choice.
• Journaling - Not terribly different from Advice Time, but far less specific. Just take a short break every night, even for 10 minutes, and let your thoughts about the day flow freely. You might just surprise yourself when your subconscious starts piping up with associations and feelings you ignored in your haste through the day.

What kinds of stress-breakers do you use to help relax?

Good Habits - #Tips for Taking care of your pearly whites

An apple a day... helps clean your teeth!

Here are some do's and don't's for keeping your mouth clean and happy and your dentist at arm's length...

WEBMD says DON'T use your teeth for:

• Pliers
• Coat hangers
• Ice crushers
• Potato chip bag openers
• Knot looseners
• Fork tine straighteners
• Chomping frozen candy bars full of caramel or frozen nuts

Here's the healthy, white teeth diet (from Reader's Digest)

DON'T: drink red wine, colas, dark juices, and black tea (probably coffee too, because bottom line - if it's dark before you put it in your mouth, it will probably stain your teeth.)

DON'T: smoke (duh!)

DO: brush immediately after eating or drinking foods that stain teeth

DO: eat an apple! it's a natural "detergent" food, as well as raw carrots, celery, and popcorn

DO: get a new toothbrush every 2-3 months

More healthy teeth tips:

• Brush gently and at a 45 degree angle - teeth have no feeling, you're hurting your gums and making them recede when you brush too roughly.
• Floss!
• Use sugar-free mints and alcohol-free mouthwash 
• Brush teeth first thing in morning and last thing at night

And on the beauty side, darker lipstick makes teeth look whiter.

Do you have any toothy grin-worthy habits to share? Spit em out!