Welcome to our newest endeavor - a web page promoting health and wellness issues in Northwest Texas!

In this age of health care issues, with health care under debate and in the news, and with increasing numbers of our society suffering from debilitating health issues, what better goal to strive for... spiritual AND physical health. After all, overall health is a combination of spiritual, mental, and physical health.

This new web-based effort is meant to provide information, suggestions, and support to those who are concerned about their overall health. Each month we will sponsor the Health and Wellness News periodical from The Episcopal Church Medical Trust. Additionally, each month we will focus on one particular topic.

Enjoy your visit to our web page, and please check back to see new additions and changes. All suggestions and comments should be directed to Nancy Igo, Diocesan Ministry Coordinator and Web Minister at the following link:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Thank you for visiting us today!!

Ease Stress to Improve Heart Health

February is Heart Month, sponsored by the American Heart Association. This month, focus on reducing your stress, which can improve your heart health and lower your risk of heart disease. Did you know that the heart and brain have a significant connection and impact on each other in your body? Due to this, mental health can have a dramatic effect on heart health, and vice versa.

When you experience stress, which is a response in your brain, the body responds by increasing:

•  Blood pressure
•  Respiratory rate
•  Heart rate
•  Oxygen consumption
•  Blood flow to skeletal muscles

If you experience frequent stress, you are putting your body at an increased risk for heart disease. How do you combat stress? There are many strategies and techniques for reducing stress in your life:

•  Meditate. Try sitting down in a quiet, comfortable room, and focusing your attention on one word, phrase or image in your mind. Repeat this thing over and over, refocusing if your mind wanders.
•  Read a book or listen to calming music.
•  Exercise. Getting your blood pumping is an excellent way to relieve stress, and is also great for your heart.
•  Eat nutritiously—don’t turn to junk food, alcohol or tobacco. Healthy food will energize you, while other options have negative effects on your body.
•  Confide in a loved one.
•  When feeling overwhelmed, plan and prioritize instead of trying to tackle everything at once. Also try taking a break from the situation.

A Healthy Valentine

Valentine’s Day brings to mind fancy dinner, boxes of chocolate and heartshaped candies—but you can avoid busting your diet while celebrating with your sweetheart. Try these suggestions:

•  Go out for lunch instead of dinner to take advantage of smaller portions.
•  Or, get romantic and share a meal at dinner to cut the calories.
•  Choose flowers or another gift rather than chocolate or candy.
•  Make your own healthy meal at home.
•  For a romantic dessert, make dark chocolate fondue with lots of fruit.

For more suggestions for healthy Valentine treats, click the fruit graphic above to go directly to Tree Living's website.

Brought to you by: USI Southwest

February is American Heart Month. Rather than feature a heart-healthy recipe, of which there is a plethora online, we have chosen instead to feature something else that is good for your heart- sharing time with loved ones. In today's fast-paced world we often cheat ourselves of quality time with our families in order to get everything done in our hectic daily schedules.

In many societies there is emphasis on mealtime and the importance of the "communion" that occurs when a family shares in a meal together. This tradition traces back to ancient civilizations, as well as to the early days of Christianity. After all, Christ shared a Passover meal with his disciples after which we have modeled our Eucharistic tradition. Additionally, the Sabbath meal was and is a crucial part of Jewish tradition.

The Episcopal Church Medical Trust has shared some wonderful ideas for spending quality time with our families during mealtime. We hope you will use this "recipe" for enriching your daiy meals with love and fun.

Cooking Meals Together

One day this week, have a night devoted to healthy cooking with your family.  Taking one day out of the week to share time with loved ones is a great way to check in and catch up. Below are some reasons to cook with the family, you can include friends too!

• It’s a great way to spend time together – Dinner doesn’t have to start with the plates hitting the table.  Get everyone involved in the preparation.  Not only will it divide up the workload and give kids some hands-on experience – it will also give you all a chance to catch up on each other’s busy lives.

• Try new things – Make a plan to have the whole family try one new thing each time you cook together.  It might be a spice, a vegetable or a whole grain you’ve never tried before.  You may just find a new favorite food!

• Boost a child’s self-confidence – Kids feel more and more empowered with every new skill they master.  Learning how to follow a recipe and serve a tasty dish will give them a sense of accomplishment.  Learning how to make a simple healthy snack is a great way to get them to eat healthful foods. 

• Healthy eating begins at home – With all the candy, snack and fast food advertising it’s important to talk with them about healthier choices.  They may just learn it is cooler to reach for an apple than a cookie. 

• It’s great to have a family tradition – Sometimes it feels like the world is stacked against families trying to spend a little time together.  Coordinate your calendars, switch off your cell phones, and designate a night of the week for a no-interruption family dinner. 

• You’re making new memories – Most of us can remember helping our moms or grandmothers when they were cooking.  Give your kids a chance to store up their own memories of fun family times in the kitchen.