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Volume 11, Issue 11
November/December 2014
A Publication of the Nutrition Services Division
Wishing You a Happy (and Healthy) Holiday!
As the holidays gear up to take place it’s
important to remember that in the midst of
all the food and festivities, we still need to
pay attention to our health and safety!
Winter is a time that can be risky, whether
it’s because of the ice or just because we
get hit with the cold-weather-blues. So before we get too wrapped up in our holiday
preparations, here are some tips for staying mentally and physically well.
Mental Wellness Tips:
1. Stay social! If you start to feel lonely,
ward it off by staying close to
friends. Try scheduling a fun holiday
activity like decorating Christmas
cookies or watching a holiday film.
2. Manage stress- There’s a lot going
on and the more prepared you feel,
the less overwhelmed you’ll be.
Make lists and set realistic goals for
how much you need to get done!
3. Stay active- Although this is more
physical than mental, maintaining an
active life through the holidays will
not only help with staying fit, but it
will also help keep your mind cool,
calm, and collected.
Physical Wellness Tips:
1. Prepare for the weather- Make sure
you have good shoes if you need to
go out in adverse conditions. Keep
your walks safe by applying salt to
prevent ice from forming!
2. Gear up… for a power outage, that
is! Make sure you have flashlights
around your house (kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, etc.) just in case a
winter storm blows on through and
takes the power with it!
3. Stay warm! You always want to
make sure you bundle up when you
go out, but remember also to keep
warm while inside. Wear a robe and
slippers to avoid being chilled when
the temperature around you drops.
4. Stay healthy- from check-ups with
your providers, to vaccines, to washing your hands; it’s important to
keep your health in check during
these particularly busy times.
The holidays are a time of joy and fun with
family and friends. Make sure to keep
yourself healthy so that you don’t miss out
on any of it! You can start doing that by
avoiding putting yourself at unnecessary
risk, starting with these tips!
Happy Holidays!
From the Volunteers of
America
No hibernating allowed!
Winter is coming. Oh wait….it’s here already! When did that happen?? As winter
weather sneaks up on us, the holiday
season follows closely at its heels, and
with everything on our to-do lists, physical fitness is the easiest thing to get
pushed aside. Even though this may
seem like your best option for staying
warm through the winter months and
keeping up with our busy schedules, you’ll
be missing out on SO many valuable benefits. If you don’t believe me, take it from
an osteopathic board-certified internal
medicine physician. “The advantages of
regular exercise are too great to be put on
hold when workouts become inconvenient, especially during colder months”, states Joseph
Giaimo, D.O.
How can we stay active and still make
time for our family and friends?
1) Shorter sessions of cardio: Instead
of trying to schedule a full 30-60 min.
walk or bike ride, split it into 10 minute
sessions spread throughout the day.
2) Exercise wherever you can: Walk
around the mall, take the stairs, stretch
while waiting in line or knitting a gift,
whatever it takes to get that extra
movement.
3) Get your family or friends involved:
Go for a group walk after a holiday
meal if it’s not too cold.
4) Remember the benefits! Exercising
boosts your immunity so you’re less
likely to get sick AND it’s a natural
mood booster so you can stay happy
through the dark, cold days of winter.
Sick and tired?
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You can take charge of In the comfort, privacy, and safety of
your health and your life your own home, this evidence-based
by starting the new year program includes:
with a treat for yourself!  Free exercise instruction from a
The FREE VOA
Fitness Professional
Healthy Moves Program  Free nutrition counseling with a
can help you to:
Registered Dietitian
 Free weekly phone calls from a
Have more energy
Motivational Coach
Reduce pain
Counties
Breathe easier
Call today to
served:
Become stronger
schedule a free
 Denver
Increase flexibility
consultation!
 Jefferson
Sleep better
Contact Liz at
 Adams
Feel happier
303-297-0408
 Arapahoe
Improve memory
 Douglas
Page 2
Slow Cooker to the Rescue!
During these cold winter months, nothing
sounds better than a hot bowl of soup.
Making your own soup is healthier and
cheaper than buying it at the store. If you
have a slow cooker or crock pot, it can be
really easy too! Follow this recipe for a
simple and nourishing meal that will warm
you from the inside out! Make a big batch
and freeze it to save for a snowy day. Feel
free to tweak it any way you like.
Slow Cooker Chicken Vegetable Soup
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 pound raw boneless chicken breasts or
thighs
1/4 cup diced onion
2 carrots, chopped
2 cups coleslaw mix
2 1/2 cans low sodium chicken, beef or
vegetable broth
1 can cannellini beans
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 cup frozen peas
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Place all ingredients in crock pot and
stir. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3
hours or LOW for 6 hours, until chicken
is done.
2. Remove bay leaf. Remove chicken,
shred with 2 forks and add back in
soup.
Recipe found at http://simple-nourished-living.com
Have your Cake, and eat it too!
Desserts and other sweet temptations
aren’t just a potential challenge during the
holidays, they’re a given! For people with
diabetes, the stakes of indulging in too
many holiday treats are higher than what
can be seen on the scale. When blood
sugar levels remain high, it can increase
the risk of diabetic complications. Enjoying
too many high-carb, calorie-dense snacks
can lead to unwanted weight gain, and
surely no one likes the idea of starting the
new year with a few extra pounds around
their waist.
Here are some strategies you can use to
enjoy your favorite sweets this season
while staying conscious of your diet and
blood sugars:
 Dessert with dinner is allowed, but it’s
all about moderation. Focus on the total
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

carbohydrate content of what you are
eating.
Plan ahead, and eat less carb-heavy
foods when you know you’re going to
have a sweet snack later in the day.
Practice paying attention to what you’re
eating and avoid eating when you’re
not truly hungry.
Fruit is lower in sugar and calories, so
choose fruit first when looking for
something sweet to eat. Better dessert
choices for anyone with or without diabetes include fruit, low-fat dairy, or even
whole grains.
Exercise can help combat excess carb
intake, so get in a good workout on the
day of a holiday party or event, even if
its just a 10 or 15–minute brisk walk a
few times throughout the day.
Page 3
The Volunteers of America is a
national non-profit, spiritually-based
human service organization. Since 1896
Volunteers of America Colorado Branch
has been seeking to identify and serve the
basic needs of the most vulnerable
individuals and families in our community.
If you would like information on how you
can get involved, please call us at:
303-297-0408
Volunteers of America
2660 Larimer St., Denver, CO 80205
Phone: 303-297-0408
Kayla Thorngate, RD
Dietitian, Nutrition Services
kthorngate@voacolorado.org
Molly Wright, RD
Community Nutritionist
mwright@voacolorado.org
Natalie Rood, CPT
Fitness Professional
nrood@voacolorado.org
Liz Staver
Healthy Moves Coordinator
lstaver@voacolorado.org
The Nutrition Services Division is funded
in part by the Denver Regional Council of
Governments Area Agency on Aging
Holiday Word Search
L X N U E E C C X D S T C W M
Z Y J I
G D A X X E H R W U W
Z H Q M L B R W I
Y T A W E X
H R N M U S D T M H W Z A I
Y O B U D S I
T
E C T G T K L Q
A E L N N V O J L C H T L A F
Y Z X I
I
C A N N E L L I
N I
B B D T D K E G R A N Q P J T
K Z S Y E A D E S S E R T O N
O E X H A H Y L P J T Z S D E
F M F A W V Y S N E K C I
H C
FESTIVITIES
WEATHER
HOLIDAYS
CARDIO
IMMUNITY
CHICKEN
CANNELLINI
INDULGE
DESSERT
THYME