The holidays are upon us.
Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving, Native American Heritage Day, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Diwali or any other year-end tradition, we have arrived at the time of year where food takes on a Jekyll and Hyde quality. It feels simultaneously comforting and threatening.
According to the American Psychological Association, 44% of American women and 31% of men feel more stressed out during the holidays, and—if what I'm hearing from my clients is representative—food both contributes to that stress and alleviates it.
So, how do we increase the relief and decrease the stress around food?
This week at Forbes, I got to answer a question from a reader called "Double Stuffed" who wanted to know:
(If you have your own anonymous question, send it to me here!)
In this week's article, we cover:
What exactly does "overeating" mean?
Is being "double stuffed" always a bad thing?
3 things to consider before making any changes, and
5 ways to avoid overeating (if it truly makes you feel bad).
This column ties together so much of what I've been writing about for so many years in this newsletter and many of the topics I've covered for Forbes over the last year and a half.
If you know anyone who could use some relief around the holidays, please share it!
Wishing you and yours a peaceful holiday, however you want to spend it.
Sarah
Artist Maya Lin Featured by the Smithsonian
The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C. is currently running a biographical exhibition of 63-year-old artist, Maya Lin.
NPR writes, "Lin's works include the Civil Rights Memorial in Alabama, the Langston Hughes Library in Tennessee and What Is Missing? — the massive, ongoing, environmental activism project she launched in 2009 — and of course the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial in Washington, D.C. that launched her career 40 years ago."
She is reportedly intensely private but was persuaded to let them tell the story of her life and art to serve as an inspiration for young people visiting the museum. I would love to see the exhibit, but, in the meantime, this quick article does a great job of describing her trajectory from a childhood in Ohio to receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama.
Healthy Happy Human Podcast
If you've ever wondered what health coaches actually do, what kind of certification to look for, and how I help people get invested in their own well-being, check out my conversation with host, Paul Levitin, on his podcast, Healthy Happy Human.
Reach out to me if you have questions or ideas!
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Past posts can be found HERE.