What Does It Mean To You?
While visiting my dentist last Monday morning, he was advising me to not eat almonds, or at least to chew more softly on them when I do eat them. He said most people chomp on their food instead of just chewing. It reminded me that most of us rush through our meals and snacks thoughtlessly. Protecting the integrity of your teeth is yet another reason to slow down. Truth. This is a gentle reminder to try to slow down when you eat. Sit down at the table. Have a place setting. Maybe a candle or a floral decoration. Turn off the media. Talk to your family, friends, or partner. If you are dining alone, put on some music. And chew slowly. Savor every bite.
I read a great article this week in O Magazine, the March 2020 edition, about how eating healthfully, making mindful food choices can impact our moods, and yes, even our overall mental health. More psychiatrists are asking patients about what they have been eating, along with whatever other questions they normally ask. It’s the same thing I do regarding the anti-inflammatory diet I try to keep myself on to avoid taking a lot of anti-inflammatory meds. Besides being conscious of what we eat regarding our weight, we need to be conscious of how the foods we eat affect other aspects of our health. I can’t find a link to the article, but it is called “Can You Eat Your Way Happy?” by Sunny Sea Gold.
This week’s meal prep is an easy “no cook” tuna stuffed bell peppers. The ingredients I used were inspired by my anti-inflammatory diet, and the article in O Magazine because I’ll try anything to help calm my daily stress. By the way, water jogging 3 times a week is also a key factor in helping me manage my mood levels. It allows me to decompress at the end of the day while getting a great ab and aerobic workout.
Colorful peppers, tuna, and dark leafy greens are mentioned prominently in the article to help us regulate our moods, so those were the base ingredients for my desk lunches this week.

The small containers on the right side of the photo are my 2 tablespoon salad dressing containers. Very handy.
Into the tuna I mixed just enough light mayo (35 cal/ 1 point for 1 tablespoon) to moisten it, then I mixed in generous portions of diced celery and red onions. I then filled halves of large red peppers with the mixture. I will plate these at work on top of my “power greens” blend, which I will dress with just a little bit of Bolt House Classic Ranch dressing (45 cal/ 2 points for 2 tablespoons). The other ingredients are all 0 points on the WW Blue Plan. I plan to bring either a portion of Trader Joe’s 3 Seed Beet Crackers https://www.traderjoes.com/digin/post/3-seed-beet-crackers, which I love, or one of my 2 point WW bags of chips along too for a little crunchy component.
Thank you for joining me today. Make it a great week, and take care of YOU!
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