Many of us have heard that poinsettias, if ingested, are poisonous to pets, children, or both. While it’s never a good idea to eat the house plants, no deaths from poinsettia ingestion have ever been documented. When doctors at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Poison Center conducted a review of 22,793 reported cases of poinsettia exposure, most involving children, they found that 92 percent developed no symptoms at all. The Pet Poison Helpline reports that poinsettia ingestion by cats or dogs can occasionally result in mild symptoms, such as vomiting or, in rare cases, diarrhea. But a bigger risk, they say, are holly berries, which are toxic.

Sources: http://www.medicinenet.com/are_poinsettia_plants_poison-ous_fact_or_fiction/views.htm

http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/poinsettia/

www.preventure.com

IFCNInternational Fitness Club Network

Holiday Fun Fact

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these suggestions for staying healthy and safe during the holidays.

1. Don’t drink and drive and don’t let others drink and drive. Enough said.2. It’s flu season, so wash your hands often to help prevent the spread of germs.

And if you haven’t gotten a flu shot yet, it’s not too late.3. Keep potentially dangerous toys, food, decorations, drinks, and other hazardous

items out of the reach of children. 4. Most residential fires occur during winter, so don’t leave fireplaces, space heaters, stoves, or lit candles unattended. Have an

emergency exit plan and practice it!5. The holidays can be stressful. If you’re feeling stressed, take a timeout. Sit quietly and listen to your breathing. Make sure you’re

getting enough sleep, connect with friends, and if you need it, find support. 6. Be smoke-free. Smoking is still the leading cause of preventable death. This year, give the gift of a tobacco-free life – to yourself

and your family.Source: https://www.cdc.gov/features/healthytips/

“Every piece of the universe, even the tiniest little snow crystal, matters somehow.” - T.A. Barron

pathways ISSUEDecember2016

Tips for a Happy, Healthy Holiday!

There are many ideas floating around the internet for getting through the holidays without going into debt – everything from making your own greeting cards to regifting last year’s misses. Here’s an idea that we liked – mostly because it fosters closer relationships. And it’s free!

Give the gift of your time. There are so many ways to do this. You can pledge to take your kids sledding or ice skating. If you have a special skill, like playing the guitar or shooting foul shots, you can promise to offer lessons. For adult children, you can commit to one or more nights of babysitting the grandchildren. (Your kids will really appreciate that!) For your spouse or partner, you can offer to make a special dinner, paint that spare room, or just assume a greater share of the housework. This doesn’t mean you will have nothing tangible to offer on your holiday. You should absolutely make up a gift card or certificate, festively decorated and gift-wrapped for the occasion, to be redeemed for something no amount of money can buy: your time, love and attention.

Source: http://www.thepennyhoarder.com/free-low-cost-gift-ideas/

Recipe‘Superfood’ Hot Apple CiderCourtesy of http://www.healthfulpursuit.com/2012/12/sugar-free-hot-apple-cider/

Here’s a great beverage for entertaining guests in December. It’s warming, nutritious and delicious! It doesn’t contain any sugar, and it’s non-alcoholic, so you won’t need to worry about your friends getting home safely.

Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh apple juice, unsweetened with no preservatives (4-6 apples if you are juicing your own)

• 5 whole cloves• 4 cinnamon sticks• 4 whole cardamom pods• 2 Chinese star anise• 1-inch piece of fresh ginger• ½ teaspoon fresh lemon zest• ½ orange, thinly sliced

Directions

• Pour apple juice in a medium-sized saucepan.• Add cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, anise, ginger and lemon zest.• Cover and heat on low-medium heat for 20 minutes. The mixture

doesn’t need to boil. Just get it warm, up to around 170oF or so.• Add orange slices during the last 5 minutes.• Remove from heat and strain to remove spices and fruits.• Serve immediately.

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Serves: 4

Gift Giving on a Budget

Testimonial: Making a Healthier Lifestyle FunIt was around Christmas time last year that Barbara Miller* realized she wasn’t happy and wanted to change her life. “I had become very sedentary,” said Barbara, who works as a software developer. “I vowed to make a New Year’s resolution to become more active and lose some weight.”

At first, she struggled. Then a friend invited her to a Zumba class, a guided aerobic dance workout that can burn up to 400 calories an hour. “It was just so amazing to spend an hour working my butt off, and it felt great,” Barba-ra said.

Next, she turned her attention to her eating habits. She stopped drinking soda and instead made sure she was drinking at least eight glasses of water a day. She also was counting calories, but she soon became frustrated. “It worked for a while, but I was limiting myself. So I decided portion control might be better than just taking things away.”

Before long, her efforts clearly began to pay off. She lost 30 pounds, but more important, she felt better, had more energy and she was having fun. In fact, she convinced two friends to join her Zumba class, and now they are regulars as well.

“I think a lot of people look at dieting and exercising as something they have to do, but they dread it,” she said. “I was like that, but it changed for me. So I think finding something you love to do, whether it’s swimming, or walking with your kids, or joining a group exercise class, can make all the difference.”

* Name changed for privacy