Don't Weight & See!
The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is often associated with weight gain due to increased calorie intake. Big holiday meals, special treats, and extra gatherings, can accumulate over time and contribute to on-going health issues if not managed thoughtfully. Small weight gains during the holidays will add up over the years and may negatively impact your overall health.
Weight management during the holidays:
Plan your meals: Decide what you’ll eat at gatherings beforehand, focus on healthier options, and bring a nutritious snack to share.
Control portions: Be mindful of the amount you’re eating, put small bites on a small plate, wait an hour to go back for seconds, and avoid grazing.
Be active: Incorporate physical activity into your routine, walking, yoga, & dancing.
Stay hydrated: Always carry water, it helps curb hunger & promotes healthy eating.
Learn healthy swaps: Sub out high-calorie foods with lighter fare when possible.
Living In A Winter Wonderland!
Winter Fun Activities!
Fun in New Hampshire or look for it where ever you are!
These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things . . .
* Zip Lining * Snow Tubing
* Swinging * Snowshoeing
* Ice Skating * Mountain Coaster
* Ice Castles * Snowmobiling
* Dog Sledding * & More . . .
Why Can't I Lose Weight?
The Answer Isn’t Always Simple
Dr. Elisa Mercuro, DO
Functional Medicine Certified Doctor
You eat well, are active but the scale does not budge? Why does this happen?
Like most processes in our body, weight gain and weight loss is under biological control. That means YOU (what I mean by you, is willpower) can not always CONTROL your weight! We have something like a bean counter in our brain (our hypothalamus). It is constantly assessing our weight losses and gains and try’s to stabilize our weight by adjusting the amount of energy our body expends through metabolism. This means that if some weight is lost there are feedback mechanisms that work against further weight loss even if you are overweight or obese. This is called body weight set point theory, our body defends our current body weight.
Biology & Weight Loss
We know that simply eating less and exercising more does not work for everyone. Probably one of the biggest reasons . . .
Feeling Stressed Out?
Try Our Neuromuscular Technique
Gina Toce, LMT
Clinical Massage Therapist, Certified IT Master Instructor
Anyone out there feeling stressed out? I hear ya! Sometimes this adulting thing is HARD WORK! And with the Holidays upon us, increased stress is usually right around the corner. But the GREAT NEWS is, the Neuromuscular Technique offered at Sparkle Health can help!
Does any of this sound familiar?
Tight Neck and/or Shoulders?
Migraines or Headaches?
Anxiety?
If it does, then this is the technique for you!
Developed by a chiropractor, this technique has the goal of . . .
Stretch It Out . . .
Let’s Talk Stretching
Gina Toce, LMT
Clinical Massage Therapist, Certified IT Master Instructor
Stretching. We all know we should do it…. Most of us wish we did it more… And some of us just can’t find the time to do it.
Sound familiar?
I have had several people ask me this week if there is a place that they can go that someone can “stretch them out“. And I have the best answer for them, I can do that here @ Sparkle Health! Yup, you heard that right – I can help you with your tight muscles in several ways, one of them is a stretch session. In a stretch session, I will assess your muscles and then use a combination of PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) and/or MET (Muscle Energy Techniques) that can leave you feeling more like yourself . . .
Dairy-Free Chocolate Latte
Make Your Morning!
Kate Swords, CNS, Functional Medicine Nutritionist
Total time: 5 min | Yield: 1 large or 2 small servings
INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups hot water
- 2 Tbsp raw cacao powder
- 2 Tbsp hemp seeds
- 1–2 tsp raw honey
- 1 tsp vanilla bean powder or a few drops of vanilla extract
- Pinch salt . . .
What Patients Have To Say
Special Days In December
Mark Your Calendars
Daily Celebrations
December 1: Advent begins, National Christmas Lights Day, Rosa Parks Day, World AIDS Day
December 2: Cyber Monday, International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, National Mutt Day, Special Education Day, World Pollution Prevention Day
December 3: Giving Tuesday, International Day of Persons with Disabilities
December 5: International Volunteer Day, World Soil Day
December 7: National Pearl Harbor Day of Remembrance
December 10: Human Rights Day, International Animal Rights Day
December 13: U.S. National Guard Birthday
December 14: National Wreaths Across America Day
December 17: Wright Brothers Day
December 18: International Migrants Day
December 21: Winter Solstice
December 23: Festivus
December 24: Christmas Eve
December 25: Christmas
December 26: Boxing Day
December 27: International Day of Epidemic Preparedness
December 28: Kwanzaa
December 31: New Year’s Eve
Advent: Dec. 1 – 24
Better Conversations Week: Nov. 24 – Dec. 30
Christmas Bird Count: Dec. 14 – Jan. 5, 2025
Computer Science Education Week: Dec. 2 – 8
Crohn’s & Colitis Awareness Week: Dec. 1 – 7
Hanukkah: Dec. 25 – Jan. 2
Inclusive Schools Week: Dec. 2 – 8
Kwanzaa: Dec. 26 – Jan. 1
National Cookie Cutter Week: Dec. 1 – 7
National Handwashing Awareness Week: Dec. 2 – 8
National Influenza Vaccination Week: Dec. 6 – 12
Older Driver Safety Awareness Week: Dec. 2 – 6
Monthly Observances
Bingo Month
Blue Christmas
Decembeard
Gift of Sight Month
National Cat Lover’s Month
National Fruitcake Month
National Giving Month
National Impaired Driving Prevention Month
National Learn a Foreign Language Month
National Write a Business Plan Month
National Pear Month
National Tie Month
Operation Santa Paws
Safe Toys and Gifts Month
Spiritual Literacy Month
Universal Human Rights Month
Worldwide Food Service Safety Month
Write to a Friend Month
World AIDS/HIV Awareness Month