Now that winter is upon us, it is quite comforting to sit down with a movie, hot chocolate and your family for some quality time together. Although it is important to do some enjoyable and relaxing activities, try to include some plans that involve physical movement for overall fitness. You may have to be creative in your planning as you schedule around the changing weather, but keeping active can give you a boost of energy that will help your body and mind.

As you think about staying fit this winter, consider activities that you actually like to do rather than focusing on ones that make you say "I have to…." dance to music as you cook or clean up in the kitchen. You can keep active while enjoying your life—it's a good thing!

Source: Sheri L. Merry, University of Illinois Extension youth development educator, Hancock County

Tessa Hobbs-Curley, University of Illinois Extension youth development educator, McDonough County

When people talk about being physically active, many think of aerobic activities, but it is also about being strong. Getting the heart and lungs working to full capacity has great health benefits. Walking is perhaps the most common form of this type of exercise. But as a person ages, fear of falling may prevent a person from getting out and getting moving. Strength training can help by increasing the strength of muscles needed to "catch" a person and help them right themselves before actually falling.

A good starter exercise would be a set of chair squats that strengthen the thighs, buttocks and lower back. It might also mean bicep curls for the upper arms, overhead presses for shoulders, upper back and arms, and bent forward flies for the upper back and shoulders. With strong muscles, a person may find that the everyday tasks that have become burdensome with age, are not as difficult as in the past.

Source: Janet Hackert, Northwest Regional Nutrition and Health Education Specialist, University of Missouri Extension

With two months or so of shopping, eating, and spending time with family and friends, no wonder a person dreads this time of year! Following are some ideas for relaxing and enjoying the holidays:

· Get organized. Make a master list of what you need to do. Then, get started – procrastination just increases dread and guilt.

· Talk to a friend. Studies show "social support is a fantastic buffer" for stress.

· Walk out the door. A brisk walk can be calming and even keep you from getting stressed out in the first place.

· Just sit there. Studies show that retreating from the hubbub and doing nothing for half an hour is as calming as going for a walk.

Source: Beverly A. Combs, University of Illinois Extension nutrition & wellness educator, Effingham Center

The holiday season is once again upon us. All those high-calorie favorites will be difficult to ignore! One very simple solution is to eat more slowly. Sounds simple but if you eat more slowly and think about what you are eating, you are less likely to unknowingly keep eating.

Some tips to help you eat more slowly:

• Count to 30 between bites.
• Have a conversation before and after eating a certain item.
• Put your fork or spoon down after each mouthful.
• Chew your food a set number of times – count the chews and make it last.
• Make sure you've swallowed and at least looked around the room before picking up your fork or spoon again.
• Try mentally spelling the food you're eating before taking a second bite of it.

You can come up with many time-wasting tricks, tips or games. The important thing is to eat slowly, think about what and how much you're eating, and enjoy what you do eat.

Cold weather puts a strain on your heart, even without exercise. Be careful when shoveling snow, pushing a car, or performing other tasks. Regardless of your age or physical condition, avoid overexertion in the winter.

· Exercise is a sure cure if the holiday blues have gotten you down. Exercise releases natural endorphins, chemicals in our brains that make us feel good.

· Drink as much liquid in cold weather as in the heat. It is especially easy to become dehydrated when exercising in cold weather because of the water you lose from sweating and breathing.

It is never too late to lower your risk of diabetes. Researchers of the Harvard School of Public Health recently reported that combining just five positive lifestyle factors could reduce diabetes incidence by 89% for people age 65 and up!

The health habits they looked at were:

• Physical-activity level, indicated by above-average leisure-time activity and walking
• Healthy diet, defined as above-average intake of fiber, a positive ratio of poly-unsaturated fat to saturated fat, low trans-fat intake, and low average glycemic index
• Light or moderate alcohol consumption and not smoking
• Avoiding being overweight – body-mass index (BMI) less than 25 or waist size under 34.6 inches for women, 36.2 inches for men

Even if you do not have a "perfect score" on the lifestyle factors, each additional positive factor reduces diabetes risk by 35%. The combination of just the two key factors – physical activity and a healthy diet – is associated with a 46% lower risk. Women appear to benefit the most from adopting healthy habits, but age made little difference.

Source: Beverly A. Combs, Extension Educator, Effingham Center

November is American Diabetes Month®—a time to shine a spotlight on a serious disease that leads to potentially life-threatening complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and amputation. This November, join the American Diabetes Association in a national movement to Stop Diabetes^SM.

It's certainly not for the money, it's not for fame.
It's not for only personal gain.
It's just for the love of fellowman.
It's just to lend a helping hand.
It's just to give a little of one's self.
That's something you can't buy with wealth.
It's not for the medals worn with pride.
It's not the feeling deep within.
It's that reward deep in your heart.
It's the feeling that you've been a part

Of helping others far and near,
That makes you a volunteer.

Amazing Pumpkin Pie

Serves 8 - It makes its own crust!

1 cup 2% milk

2 cups canned pumpkin (16 oz. can)

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground allspice

3 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp. nutmeg

1. Mix all ingredients together using a blender or mixer. Pour into well greased pie pan.

2. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

NUTRITION FACTS (per serving) - Calories 160 ~ fat 2.5 g ~ calories from fat 25 ~sodium 410 mg ~ total carbohydrate 31 g ~ fiber 2 g