Hilltoppers - the spring semester is quickly approaching! Read through for some tips on self-care to help you get ready for a successful semester!

Self-care is everywhere, but will it improve your mental and physical health? 🤔

What is self-care?
Self-care is about making your health a priority. It’s about taking time for yourself to reduce and prevent stress, which can improve both mental and physical health.

What does the science say?
It`s no secret that Americans are overworked, overextended, and stressed out, and these factors can be detrimental to overall health. But self-care can make you a more productive employee or student and a better partner, parent, or friend.

How does one practice self-care?
Here`s 5 simple ways to introduce self-care to your day-to-day life:
🛏️ Get in bed 30 minutes earlier to read or sleep more.
🏃‍♂️ Take 20 minutes to move your body in a way that feels good to you.
🍳 Eat a balanced breakfast.
🌬️ Do five minutes of deep breathing using the 4-7-8 breathing technique.
🫖 Drink a cup of herbal tea — no distractions!

What`s the takeaway?
👉 Self-care is important to your overall health!
👉 Self-care doesn`t have to be time-consuming or expensive, and it shouldn`t add stress.
👉 Everyone`s version of self-care looks different.

#SelfCare #MentalHealth #Mindfulness #SelfCareTips ...

There`s nothing like a rich, fudgy brownie to prompt a mindful, nourishing moment! Slow down and enjoy this recipe for chocolate and avocado brownies. 🍫🥑

Makes 24 brownies

INGREDIENTS
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed avocado, about 1 large
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons plant-based oil, plus more for greasing baking dish
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with oil.

Mix together the flour, sugars, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well-combined. Set aside. Beat together the mashed avocado, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until top has hardened, but center is still slightly soft.

#BrownieRecipe #ChocolateLovers #BakingFromScratch #AvocadoBrownies #MindfulEating #DessertLovers ...

Looking for a campus job for the spring semester? We`re hiring part-time baristas!
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We offer flexible scheduling and work with your school schedule! Weekend availability is a plus 💙💛
Looking to apply? Head to the link in our bio.
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#bamcocareers #seudining ...

Hilltoppers - Happy New Year! We`re starting the new year out with mindfulness.
Did you know that the way we eat our meals may be just as important as what we are eating? 🤯

Mindful eating, based on the Buddhist concept of mindfulness, is the principle of being present — fully in the moment — and using all of your senses while you eat.

Note: This does not dictate what you should eat. You’re encouraged to include foods you enjoy (sans any judgement) and, more importantly, pay more attention to how food makes you feel.

Here`s how to get all of your senses involved when eating:
👀 Really SEE your food. Marvel at the various colors and consider how colors have changed during the cooking process.
👂 Just listen. When cooking, pay attention to the tap of your knife chopping or the sizzle of food in a hot pan. Reflect on the sounds of something crispy or the slurp of a soup.
👋 Let your fingers get involved. Whether using hands or a fork, focus on how your sense of touch plays into eating. Consider the mouthfeel (texture) of the food you are eating.
👃 Notice what`s in the air. Food is a highly scent-based experience, from coffee brewing to sautéing
onions.
😋 Now it`s time to taste. Consider the 5 basic tastes with each bite you take!

Not sure what the 5 basic tastes are? We`ve got you covered:
1️⃣ Sweetness: pleasurable and sugary
2️⃣ Sourness: tangy
3️⃣ Saltiness: satisfying and savory
4️⃣ Bitterness: the bite in things like coffee and dark chocolate
5️⃣ Umami: meaty and rich

Elevate your relationship with food by fostering a deeper awareness of how it impacts not only our bodies but also our emotions and mindset. Enjoy the `scent`-sation.

#MindfulEating #Mindfulness #SavorTheMoment ...

Is bone broth a miracle superfood to help keep you well ─ or just another crock of soup?

Bone broth, which differs from most traditional culinary stocks, is made by roasting bones (usually chicken, beef, or fish) then simmering them, sometimes with the meat attached, along with vegetables (typically carrots, celery, and onion) and herbs and spices for up to 24 hours before straining it.

What does the science say?
Bone broth claims to heal your gut, protect your joints, reduce stress, support your immune system, and more, but these claims are not well supported by research.

Bone broth may contain collagen and nutrients like calcium and magnesium, but these are not unique to this food and often vary from batch to batch.

What`s the takeaway?
🤧 Sipping some bone broth might be soothing when you`re sick, and there may be some effect on your immune function.
🍲 Bone broth is yummy and can be used in meals as a replacement for traditional stock.
❌ Be wary of the many grandiose and indefensible claims bone broth proponents make. It isn`t the cure-all for everything that ails you.

#BoneBroth #NutritionalScience #FoodFacts ...