4 Ways to Make Cooking at Home Doable -- and More Fun

By Jan Bruce You already know you're better off eating wholesome foods -- fresh vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and proteins. And that's reason enough to whip up some simple meals at home. But here's the twist: Actually cooking that food yourself is not just good for physical health, but your mental health, too. That's the gist of "A Road To Mental Health Through The Kitchen," a recent Wall Street Journal article. Therapists across the country are using cooking lessons as a stress relief tool for people who experience anxiety and depression. There are a couple of reasons why cooking can work as stress relief: The activity focuses your mind and curbs procrastination. You get to experience present-moment awareness and feel a sense of reward and accomplishment when you complete the meal. (Read more on how to handle procrastination.) Look, I know: Cooking and baking take time. It makes a mess that you're going to have to clean up. The concept of stress relief doesn't mesh with the frantic 30 minutes you have to get something on the table for dinner before someone goes off to play rehearsal or homework or a meeting. But it comes down to this question: What are your priorities? Chances are, family and health are up there at or near the top. The intersection of those two priorities is healthy, home-cooked meals with family, so I'm going to make time to cook and share that food. Doing so matters to the quality of my life. Thankfully, cooking from scratch can mesh with ...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news