Month: November 2014

Kid Friendly Thanksgiving Recipes

By Catherine McCord
By Catherine McCordPumpkin Pie Parfaits (makes 10 parfaits)
Prep Time: 10 min.

I’ve got two little whipped cream addicts on my hands. It’s no mystery why to me because the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. Whenever my mom served pie during the holidays (usually pumpkin, chess and/or pecan) she would hand out each slice… (more…)

Expert Advice on Test Taking

By Valerie Lev
By Valerie LevWhy is it that two students who, let’s say, get 80% of their answers correct on a practice exam wind up with very different scores on the actual exam? One student gets a high score on the real ISEE, and the other student gets a mid-range score. The answer can often be blamed on test anxiety.

Test anxiety, to a degree, is normal and, actually, helpful in getting a student “into the zone.” Excessive anxiety, however, can be paralyzing. Sian Beilock, a professor of psychology at the University of Chicago, says, “When students are anxious about how they’ll do on an exam, their worries use up some of their working memory capacity, leaving less of the cognitive horsepower to apply to the task at hand.” (more…)

Mindful Eating

By Laurie Searle
Laurie SearleThe holidays can come and go in a blur. Here are some tips to make the memories last and the extra party pounds stay away by being mindful in the present and holiday joy.

1. Small snacks keep you from over doing it later on in the day or when it’s party time. If you are holiday shopping or preparing for multiple parties fuel yourself in preparation. Find a small mix of protein, fat and carbs to curb your hunger when you are in line at the cash wrap or buffet table. When shopping for presents keep a bottle of water, string cheese, 100-calorie pack of almonds and a wedge of a single wrapped chocolate in your purse. When the blood sugar dips sip some water. If you feel woozy from being over-heated or in over-crowded spaces grab those almonds. Feeling frazzled and stressed – suck on the chocolate and let it melt in your mouth. A little healthy fat like avocado on a cracker with some Gomasaio (sesame, seaweed and sea salt), apple or banana with a tablespoon of peanut butter or some grapes and low fat string cheese will keep your metabolism steady, digestive fire stoked and keep you from dipping into the chips and dip. You will be able to steer clear of free samples or high calorie and fat temptations at parties if you are well satiated already. (more…)