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7 Ways to Beat the End-of-Summer Blues

As summer winds down, so does some of the fun and freedom we enjoy during this time of year. For kids, it’s time to head back to school and activities; for parents, it means supervising homework, making lunches and keeping everyone on a schedule. This transition can cause the blues for children and adults alike. One of the best ways to handle the change is to develop a solid strategy to make things easier and less stressful. Here are seven suggestions to beat the end-of-summer blues: 1. Plan ahead Remember past challenges and think about how to improve in the future. If you have kids, teach them problem-solving by involving them in the planning. Find ways to modify your family’s daily routine, including transitioning to an earlier wake-up time once school starts. Instead of shocking them awake on the first day of school, start implementing earlier bedtimes and earlier wake-up times about a week before school starts, backing up five to ten minutes each night until you reached the correct time. 2. Focus on the positives As the weather grows colder, instead of staring out the window pining for the sun, get cozy in oversized sweaters and cuddle up with your family. Fall and winter provide opportunities to engage in indoor bonding activities such as puzzles, baking and the like. Light a fire, roast marshmallows and teach your kids to make hot chocolate from scratch. Before you know it, holiday festivities will be here, bringing all kinds of cheer. Have fun in the fall by planning your Halloween costumes, begin holiday crafting or even start working on your holiday wish lists. 3. Get the family involved Get together with your whole family to brainstorm fun activities you can do in the coming months. Create a giant calendar and mark off school and work holidays. Then choose dates for fun activities during the fall and winter. Make those activities stand out on your calendar by using bright colors and stickers. 4. Create an end-of-summer tradition Plan a big barbecue with friends and family; spend an end-of-summer weekend away or plan a staycation; plant new flowers in your garden; or clean out closets and donate what you no longer use to those in need. Whatever you decide to do, as long as you enjoy it, commit to doing this same thing every year. Read more: 4 Ways to Navigate Life's Transitions With Ease 5. Make a scrapbook or collage Do an art project with your family that includes photos, ticket stubs and other memories to help document the summer. Put it in a visible place in your home to remind yourself of the fun that you just experienced. (This exercise could also be your end-of-summer ritual!) 6. Work on goal-setting Think intentionally about what each member of your family would like to accomplish or improve on in the coming months. Many people believe that this type of planning is only for January, but setting goals only once a year can increase the pressure on you to complete those goals, and wind up resulting in disappointment. Making seasonal goals is more effective and a great positive activity. 7. Make a fall and winter music playlist Pick out songs to represent the fall and winter holidays or music that evokes feelings of joy for this time of year. You can find spooky songs for Halloween in October, festive tunes to play during Thanksgiving in November, and there is no shortage of holiday favorites to choose from in December. Instead of closing out the summer with the blues, end the season with some proactive and happiness-filled fall and winter to-dos! Read more: 3 Tips for a Low-Stress Start to the School Year Stacy Kaiser is a licensed psychotherapist, author, relationship expert and media personality. She is also the author of the best-selling book How to Be a Grown Up: The Ten Secret Skills Everyone Needs to Know and an editor at large for Live Happy. Stacy is a frequent guest on television programs such as Today and Good Morning America.

Lifestyle

Make a Happiness Plan for Retirement

Sally Balch Hurme, author of the new book Get the Most Out of Retirement: Checklist for Happiness, Health, Purpose, and Financial Security, published by the American Bar Association, says that people facing the “R” word are split on the idea; some look forward to a leisurely life on the golf course or becoming world travelers, others are terrified at the prospect of not having enough to do. Recently retired after spending 25 years practicing law, Sally wrote her book to help others with life planning. Not wholly comfortable with the word “retirement” and being the “least retired” person she knows, she wanted to create a handbook that covers all aspects of life after work. “A lot of people dread retirement because they don’t know what it is going to be like,” she says. “I am having a blast, so I hope I can give [readers] some things to think about so we can go into retirement without trepidation and have a positive outlook.” Find yourself again We spend decades defining ourselves by our careers. One of the first steps into retirement, Sally says, is finding out who you are again or want to be for the next few decades. This new life stage is an opportunity to spend your time on what’s important to you. “It’s going to be different with every person, but even though you are no longer an employee or have this job title or run this business, you are still a lot of other things: you are a spouse and a parent and a grandparent. I am still a lawyer even though I am not practicing law. I still have my volunteer commitments, I still love to garden, I still love to travel.” Read more: The Path to Purpose Plan for change When your new adventure starts, plan A doesn’t always work out. And when it doesn’t, you’ll need to fall back on plan B or even C and have a good dose of resilience. In Sally’s case, two months into her retirement, her husband’s declining health forced them to alter their plans of traveling abroad. So, have some flexibility in your gameplan. “Instead of going to Europe for a month, we plan around shorter weekends,” she says. “We did relocate so I can be around family and have some assistance with caregiving. Health issues are not necessarily the primary reason to move from plan A, but at our age, that is something that we do need to keep in the back of our minds.” Repurpose Finding purpose is great at any age, but it can be especially meaningful when you have more time to dedicate. Sally recommends volunteering more, finding part-time work in a field you enjoy or continuing your education. Researchers at Florida State University’s Pepper Institute on Aging and Social Policy find that there is no other greater force for successful aging than meaningful educational experiences. And, most state colleges offer discounted classes for retired people. Entrepreneurship is another popular way people can embark on a career they have always wanted. According to Sally’s book, people in their 50s and 60s make up a quarter of all startup businesses. Retirees often have their own money to work with and a lifetime of networking and experience to rely on. Stay connected The Japanese never retire from being active and boast some of the longest life spans. Their philosophy of ikigai, or a worthwhile life, is doing what you love around the people you love to make the world a better place. Sally says it may be a good idea to get involved in your local Rotary Club or chamber of commerce to contribute to the greater good. “Broadening our social networks can add value to the community around us in multiple, exceptional ways,” she says. “Getting over that trepidation about trying something new” can help kick-start a new chapter. While it may be daunting at first, having a plan, or multiple plans, can provide plenty of opportunities to keep you occupied, active and connected to the world, which can add meaningful years to your life. “There are so many options out there, you need to explore and not be timid to investigate,” Sally says. “You’ve got the time to plan and execute a very exciting second life.” Read more: 8 Ways to Thrive in Midlife and Beyond Chris Libby is the Section Editor for Live Happy magazine. Some of his recent articles for the magazine include Happiness is a Walk in the Park and Find Your Funny Bone.

work

4 Ways to Stop Work Stress From Following You Home

While work stress might start at work, let’s admit that it never stays there. Companies demand more from employees not only in terms of tasks but also time—and technology makes work not only omnipresent but omnipossible. This increased demand has negative consequences even for those not on the company payroll, as work stress seeps into home life. Since we are married happiness researchers, this topic is not only professionally interesting but personally important to us. We have both fallen into the trap of getting stressed at work outside of the house and then bringing that stress home to inflict on the other—even when we know better! Based on our work with nearly half the Fortune 100 companies, we believe that the solution to helping ourselves and our loved ones deal with the stress of work comes, ironically, from the very companies that give it to us. The problem is not merely that work is too powerful of a demand, it is that we fail to create a strong enough protective culture at home. Only by understanding how the best companies create positive cultures can we replicate those successes at home to create a family culture that rejuvenates and restores us. It’s imperative we stop letting a toxic company culture dictate our family culture. Positive cultures are based on often unspoken rules that encourage habits that support high levels of well-being and success. Just as a car gets regular maintenance, forward-thinking organizations set up a culture that encourages routines that help recharge and renew employees, such as taking vacation days, meditating as a midmorning break and regularly receiving meaningful praise. These positive behaviors are good for the individual and the company. Our research has found that if you take 11 or more of your vacation days, you’re 30 percent more likely to receive a raise. (And that positive outcome is not simply because people missed you!) The break from work relaxes your mind and body and puts you back in the performance zone, which leads to better-quality work. Aetna made time for meditation during the workday and subsequently decreased employee health care costs and increased work satisfaction. We have been experimenting with strengthening our family culture at home so that work doesn’t take over. Try these research-based practices to help set up and maintain a positive family culture: 1. Hold a stakeholders meeting Too often we live life as it unfolds, without intention. Invite all members of the family old enough to meaningfully contribute to a meeting to discuss family values. What kind of environment do you want to create inside your home? How do you want to spend your time? What are the rules around use of electronics? By identifying your values and setting your collective plan of how you’ll support that vision, you can start to craft a life that follows it. Set up an environment that is nurturing and relaxing, so you get a mental break. 2. Start culture at the door When we walked through the door to address senior leaders at Kimball International, it was clear what the organization stands for because its mission statement and values are posted at the door. A similar physical reminder of culture at home can refocus family members as they walk through the door after a long day at the office. Post loving messages, a list of values or even pictures of you as a family living those values. Think of this as a visual reset button so you start your time at home with a renewed mindset. 3. Bag up tech Social connection is one of the greatest predictors of long-term happiness, but we can’t create that with phones in our faces. A study published in the Psychology of Popular Media Culture found that of the women surveyed who were in a romantic relationship, 25 percent said their loved ones sent text messages or emails to other people while they were having a face-to-face conversation. Move your phone out of your physical space so it is not easy to absent-mindedly use it. We’ve experimented with putting our phones in a zip-top bag with a rubber band around it as a reminder. Consider leaving at least one person’s phone at home for the day to get a chance to detox. 4. Sleep your way to the top Research shows we make more positive memories if we get more sleep. In a study from the University of California, Berkeley, in which people were asked to memorize two lists of words, one positive and one negative, those with five hours of sleep remembered the same number of negative words (about 80 percent) but significantly fewer positive words than those who got eight hours of sleep. Write positive memories with your spouse by hitting the hay together early. You can help your spouse support this positive habit by brushing your teeth in plain sight or turning off the lights in the bedroom to remind him or her that the day is over. How do you strengthen a positive family culture? We’d love to hear! Read more by Shawn and Michelle: Are You a Phone Snubber? and 60 Seconds to Happiness Listen to our podcast: Becoming Stress-Proof With Mithu Storoni SHAWN ACHOR is the best-selling author of The Happiness Advantage and Before Happiness. Shawn’s TED Talk is one of the most popular ever, with more than 5 million views, and his PBS program has been seen by millions. Learn more about Shawn at Goodthinkinc.com. MICHELLE GIELAN is an expert on the science of positive communication and the author of the book Broadcasting Happiness. Formerly a national anchor for CBS News, Michelle holds a masters of applied positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. Learn more at Goodthinkinc.com.

Podcast Science

Health and Happiness with Dr. Partha Nandi

Dr. Partha Nandi is the creator and host of the medical lifestyle television show, Ask Dr. Nandi. Dr. Nandi is also the Chief Health Editor at WXYZ (ABC) Detroit, a practicing physician and a renowned international speaker. His new book Ask Dr. Nandi shares the 5 Steps to Becoming Your Own #HealthHero for Longevity, Well-Being and a Joyful Life. What you’ll learn in this podcast: What it means to be a health hero An introduction to his book Ask Dr. Nandi The 5 pillars to being a health hero Links and resources mentioned in this episode: Pre-order Ask Dr. Nandi

science

Be Real About How You Feel

New research suggests that a key to happiness may include embracing more negative emotions. Traditionally, psychologists have held that in order to increase happiness, it is important to increase positive emotions and decrease the negative. However, in the new study “The Secret to Happiness: Feeling Good or Feeling Right?,” researchers suggest that people are happier when the emotions they experience align with the emotions they desire, even if those are unpleasant, such as anger or contempt. “People are happier if they feel what they want to feel or if they want what they feel,” says Maya Tamir, Ph.D., lead researcher on the study and psychology professor at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “If people want to feel unpleasant emotions, they are happier if they feel them, at least to some extent. If we feel angry, but consider these the right feelings to have—we’re probably better off than if our feelings don’t match what we want them to be.” Embrace your dark side Maya explains that some negative emotions can be helpful and even beneficial when those emotions are aligned with our desires. For instance, if you are feeling angry about a great injustice, your desires are probably related to your core values. The anger you feel may spur you into action, which can provide meaning in your life as you work to correct the injustice. Embracing your anger may motivate you to pursue a fitness goal if you are out of shape or strive for a promotion at work if you are not happy with your current financial situation. If your emotions are misaligned with your values, Maya says, that can have the opposite effect and lead to dissatisfaction. One example would be getting angry at your child for breaking a dish but then feeling guilty later for being too harsh about the mishap. By pursuing the emotions we care about most and embracing the feelings we have about those emotions, we can feel better about ourselves and have less inner conflict. “Happiness is not only about the emotions you have, but also about the emotions you want to have,” Maya explains. “You are happier when these two match than when they mismatch, regardless of whether that means feeling more or less pleasant overall.” Don't sweep negative emotions under the rug Stacy Kaiser, Live Happy editor at large and psychotherapist, strongly agrees with the findings and says that being true to who you are is an important part of emotional well-being. “Dismissing or ignoring our feelings typically leads to greater sadness and discomfort overall,” she says. “I regularly encourage people to allow themselves to feel their feelings, good or bad, to process them and to move forward,” she says. “Taking time out to do this typically provides relief in the moment and greater happiness overall.” Read more: Are You Trying Too Hard to Be Happy? Read more: Face Failure Head On With These Essential Tools Chris Libby is the Section Editor for Live Happy magazine. His last feature article was Happiness Is a Walk in the Park.

Self-Care

Ikigai: The Secret to a Long and Happy Life

Ikigai is a Japanese concept that roughly translates to “the happiness of always being busy.” More broadly, it means having a purpose or reason for living. A new book called Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Lifewas written by Spaniards Héctor García and Francesc Miralles, who came up with the idea while chatting in a bar in Tokyo. Could ikigai, they wondered, be the reason Japan has the highest life expectancy in the world (86.8 years for women and 80.5 years for men, according to the World Health Organization), and lays claim to the highest ratio of people who live to the age of 100 or beyond? To explore that question, Héctor and Francesc decided to interview Japan’s centenarians in person. After a year of research, they decamped for Ogimi, a rural town of 3,200 on the north end of the island of Okinawa. Ogimi has been nicknamed the Village of Longevity, as people live longer here than in any other place on the planet. This distinction, of course, wouldn’t mean much if these elders turned out to be frail, sickly and depressed. But, as Héctor and Francesc discovered, the longest-living people in the world exude happiness, friendliness and a remarkable vigor. (One woman who had recently turned 104 beat the authors in gateball, a fast-paced, croquet-like sport popular among Okinawa’s older residents.) As they conducted their interviews with the eldest residents of the town, the authors recognized that something even more powerful than the area’s rich natural resources and beauty was at work: “an uncommon joy that flows from its inhabitants and guides them through the long and pleasurable journey of their lives.” Here are some regular habits that help the elders of Ogimi cultivate ikigai. They stay busy without hurrying. The older residents of Ogimi are always doing something, and they approach each activity attentively and slowly, whether preparing tea or crafting objects out of wicker. Every single elder the authors spoke to has a vegetable garden they tend to daily. As one centenarian noted, “I plant my own vegetables and cook them myself. That’s my ikigai.” They nurture connections with friends every day. Ogimi is divided into 17 neighborhoods and each one has a president and other community members in charge of things like culture, festivals, social activities and longevity. There are few restaurants and no bars in Ogimi. Instead, social life revolves around the community center where everyone gathers frequently for celebrations and events such as birthday parties, weekly gateball competitions and karaoke. Read more about Okinawa: Secrets to a Happy Life They move throughout the day. Even the Ogimi townspeople who are over 80 and 90 years old are still highly active. They don’t go to the gym or exercise intensely, but they are on the move during the course of their daily routines. Most get up early and spend an hour or so before or after breakfast tending their gardens. They meet friends for walks. And almost everyone follows a morning warm-up called “radio taiso,” gentle exercises that were first introduced to Japan through radio broadcasts in 1928. The movements, such as lifting your arms above your head and circling them to your sides, are simple and take only a few minutes. But they’re an effective, low-intensity form of dynamic stretching that helps keep residents limber. Try the calisthenics yourself with this brief video. They eat healthy foods in moderation. Okinawans, research has shown, eat a diet rich in vegetables and herbs, and low in animal products. Daily staples, like seaweed, sweet potatoes, green tea and miso, are high in antioxidants. Okinawans consume one-third as much sugar and nearly half as much salt as the rest of Japan. Locals, the authors note, eat a wide variety of foods, especially vegetables and spices—an average of 18 different foods a day. They also consume fewer calories—1,758 per day compared to 2,068 in the rest of Japan and an estimated 2,200 to 3,300 calories in the U.S. The Okinawan diet is built around nutrient-dense, low-calorie vegetables and fruits. They also subscribe to the Japanese concept of hara hachi bu, which means “fill your belly to 80 percent.” In other words, stop eating before you feel completely full. They connect with nature every day. Okinawans spend time in nature—often while moving and engaging with friends. One Ogimi centenarian sums it up this way: “I wake up at 5 every morning, leave the house and walk to the sea. Then I go to a friend’s house, and we have tea together. That’s the secret to a long life: getting together with people, and going from place to place.” Read more about global secrets for happiness: What the Heck Is Hygge? Shelley Levitt is a freelance journalist based in Los Angeles and editor at large for Live Happy. Her work has appeared in Real Simple, People, SUCCESS and more.

Self-Care

#HappyFacts: Paging Dr. DJ

In this episode: People who get paid by the hour are happier by the minute. Most of the world is in a good mood. Next time you're not feeling well, maybe you need a playlist, not a prescription. Each week, Live Happy Radio presents #HappyFacts designed to enlighten, educate and entertain you. What’s your time worth? If you’re getting paid by the hour, it might just be making you happier by the minute. And that’s not just the overtime talking. Researchers from Stanford University and the University of Toronto looked at the relationship between income and happiness, and found that it’s not just how much you make, it’s how you get paid that makes you happy. And, overall, workers who earned an hourly rate showed greater satisfaction than salaried workers. Based on this outcome, they determined that hourly wage earners made a direct correlation between time and money, which allowed them to create a sense of how much their time was worth. Read these tips on becoming happier at work. Shiny, happy people Good news, world: You’re in a good mood! Well, most of you are. That’s what Gallup's 2017 Global Emotions Report found, anyway. The survey, which covers more than 140 countries, looks at the positive and negative daily experiences of people around the world. It found that, in the 24 hours prior to taking the survey, 70 percent of respondents had experienced enjoyment, smiled or laughed at something, felt well-rested and had been treated with respect. Countries with the highest reported positive experiences once again were in Latin America, with Paraguay and Costa Rica topping the list. The highest negative experiences worldwide went to Iraq and South Sudan. Interestingly, although Iraq reported the most negative experiences, they weren’t the most stressed about it; Greece took the top spot for stress with 67 percent of respondents saying they experienced “a lot of stress” the day before. Experts say it likely has something to do with the more than 20 percent unemployment rate. Who is the happiest country in the world? Find out here. Paging Dr. DJ Next time you’re not feeling well, maybe you need a playlist, not a prescription. Some of the recent findings about the positive effects of music on the brain are leading the biotech company Sync Project to look at how to customize music as medicine. Working with both scientists and high-profile musicians, they’re applying research that shows music affects some of the same neural pathways in the brain as pharmaceuticals. Sync Project is developing a technology platform that would use music as a healing tool and allow the treatment of several conditions without drugs such as psychostimulants. Among the scientifically proven applications for music are pain management, stroke recovery, lowered anxiety, reduced levels of cortisol and lower blood pressure. Plus, the only side effect is a killer beat. Learn more about the impact music has on your health and well-being.

Lifestyle

Anna Faris Opens Up About New Memoir

When actor, producer and podcast creator Anna Faris, age 40, starts talking, anyone within earshot is bound to feel like they’ve run into a long-lost high school bestie. With no veils of celebrity pretense or ego, Anna (whose name is pronounced AH-na, like Donna) has a knack for connecting with friends and strangers alike by exchanging life stories and bonding over common experiences. Anna—star of CBS’ popular show Mom, voice actor for The Emoji Movie and currently filming an Overboard remake due out next year—is also married to Guardians of the Galaxy’s Chris Pratt and mom to the couple’s 5-year-old son, Jack. It’s hard to imagine there would be time for another project. Just ask Anna Yet Anna, who thrives on testing her personal boundaries, fulfilled her lifelong passion of doling out unsolicited advice to family and friends by developing a call-in-style podcast in 2015 called Anna Faris Is Unqualified. Her memoir and advice book, Unqualified, is set to be published this October. Despite her choice of book titles, Chris is quick to note that dispensing advice is a natural fit for Anna. “Anna is genuinely interested in the stories of other people,” he says. “She always takes into careful consideration the well-being of her listeners’ hearts and gives the kind of supportive advice you'd get from a friend.” A fan of NPR and podcasts, Anna says she devoured advice-style talk shows as a child. “Instead of cartoons, I’d watch Sally Jessy Raphael and was always reading Dear Abby and other relationship and advice columns. I just loved Dr. Joyce Brothers, too.” To parlay that childhood hobby into an adult, creative outlet, Anna ordered microphones on a whim. She invited a few friends over to discuss their relationship trials, tribulations and testimonies but didn’t expect anyone to listen to what they had to say. “It was like a therapy session we recorded.” Within days, her longtime pal Sim Sarna offered to lend a hand. “That was the first time someone, including me, took the idea seriously. We really started from there.” Everyone has heartache The podcast has grabbed attention from several of Anna’s colleagues like Sarah Silverman and Lance Bass, as well as legions of listeners seeking down-to-earth advice. “It’s a chance for listeners to get to relate to people they see in movies, hear on the radio, etc., in a real way. To see everyone has heartache. It’s not exclusive to any one group or demographic.” When talking to listeners, Anna isn’t afraid to divulge personal details or dive right into the chaos, like when she made actor Nick Kroll play acting games with her in a New Orleans hotel lobby before chatting with him about the importance of dating passionate people. The podcast advisers—Anna, Sim and a guest celebrity—also share stories of their own relationship successes and failures, tales of puberty or even parenting frustrations or flops. “No topic is off limits for us, or callers,” Anna says. 100% there for you In typical Anna fashion, she quickly—but naturally—connects with callers to the show. “Honest and, hopefully, really good advice is our goal,” says Anna. “Sure, we’re fun and joke around, but when we’re listening to callers, we’re 100 percent there for them and want to let them know that usually someone else has gone through a similar situation.” The podcast’s success morphed into Anna’s writing Unqualified, allowing her to flex the English degree muscle she built in college at the University of Washington. “That’s the most terrifying experience I’ve had in long time,” she confides. “It made me feel more vulnerable than probably I’ve ever felt, besides maybe giving birth. “The goal was to share my experience because it’s not that different from so many other people. Everyone has had their heart broken or screwed up a good relationship. And my hope is that people will walk away realizing that so many journeys are the same. My heartbreak is the same as someone else’s and if I have to be vulnerable for people to get that, that’s OK.” Read more: Garcelle, With Grace and Gratitude

Lifestyle

Good Apples

Apple cider. Applesauce. Apple pie. Apples are a fundamental staple of the American kitchen. If apples were not already vibrant red, green and yellow, they might as well come in red, white and blue. The versatile fruit—a member of the rose family—thrives in cold weather but is available year-round. Apples come in a mind boggling number of varieties, from stalwarts such as Granny Smith and Gala to newcomers like Jazz, Pink Lady and Honeycrisp. You’ll get the full benefit of apples’ nutrients when you enjoy them raw with the peel on. (Wash them well and/or buy organic.) Apples achieve their startling colors thanks to antioxidants called polyphenols, including the flavonol quercetin, which concentrate in the peel. These chemicals have been ascribed with warding off cancer, to name but one superpower. Eating apples also aids digestion and lowers two kinds of cholesterol. The fiber in apples gives you a feeling of being full; in addition, apples are lower on the glycemic index than other fruit, which makes them a perfect snack for those who want to shed a few pounds. *** In fall when apples are abundant, you can slice then into salads, juice them or eat them any way you like. Here are two favorite recipes to add to your list. Apple Cake With Toasted Pecans You can easily omit the pecans and leave this cake very simple. Serve it with coffee in the afternoon or bring it to a potluck and watch it disappear before your eyes. (Adapted from “Spiced Apple Cake ” in Muffins by Beth Hensperger.) Serves 6 to 8 people. 3 tart apples, such as Granny Smith or Fuji, peeled, cored and chopped into roughly ½-inch pieces Zest and juice from one small orange or Meyer lemon ½ cup packed brown sugar ½ cup chopped pecans, toasted ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 large eggs Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch round springform pan, or a square baking pan. In a bowl, combine the apples, zest and juice, brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Using an electric mixer, combine the softened butter, cream cheese and vanilla with the granulated sugar in the bowl of the mixer and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Then add the dry ingredients a little at a time. Finally, remove the bowl from the mixer and add the apple mixture, using a wooden spoon or spatula to gently mix into the batter. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until top is golden and a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean—about 60 minutes (check at 50 minutes if using a square pan and not a springform). When the cake is done, allow it to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Release from the pan; let cool and serve. Apple Sauce With Cranberries Use this classic fall recipe with turkey, Hanukkah latkes, or any time you would normally use regular apple sauce. Serves 6 to 8 people as a condiment. 4 whole tart apples, such as Fuji or Granny Smith, peeled, cored and chopped into large pieces 2 tablespoons lemon juice ¼ cup brown sugar 1 cup raw cranberries Combine all the ingredients in a heavy pot with 1/3 cup water. Cook over medium heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon to break up the apples, until the ingredients have melded into a chunky sauce, about 15 minutes. If you would like a more refined texture, pass the sauce through a potato ricer or food mill. Emily Wise Miller is the Web Editor for Live Happy. Some of her previous articles on food and cooking include 3 Steps to Healthier Eatingand Tomatoes Take a Starring Role.

Well-Being

Become Your Own Health Hero

Growing up in India, Partha Nandi was like any 6-year-old boy until he woke up one day and didn’t want to do anything. He had pain in his ankle and stopped playing his favorite game, cricket. Doctors were stumped. It wasn’t until his parents found a caring specialist that everything changed. Partha was diagnosed with rheumatic fever and hospitalized for 10 days. Partha’s parents had taken decisive action and his doctor saved him from a potentially life-threatening illness. These events helped Partha find his life’s purpose: He wanted to be a health hero for others like his parents and doctor were for him. Today Dr. Nandi is living that purpose. With a larger-than-life personality, Dr. Nandi is a practicing gastroenterologist and internal medicine physician with a television show, Ask Dr. Nandi, which airs internationally. We talked with Dr. Nandi about his first book, Ask Dr. Nandi, and his mission to inspire people to take charge of their health. Live Happy: How do you define a health hero? It means becoming a hero of your story. What if you made your health the most important part of your life? When you have your health, you have everything. Why do you think people take their health for granted? Often what is going on inside your body doesn’t give you symptoms. All of us know we feel terrible due to a head cold. But when things happen that don’t give us symptoms, like hypertension, we don’t see disaster coming until it is critical. Maybe you have a headache, maybe stress is causing cortisol levels to increase at a microscopic level so your cells are becoming damaged. The health hero learns the best route and pivots away from the extremely stressful life. In your book, you focus on finding your purpose. If you have purpose in your life, you can increase your life span by five years. Science shows us this is true. You have to work at finding your purpose, but everyone has the capacity. Finding your purpose has more efficacy than thousands of the medical procedures people have. Listen to our podcast with Dr.Nandi: Your tips combine Western and Eastern medicine. I was raised in India where people pray and practice yoga every day. We use acupuncture and meditation. In my opinion, why not combine all the technologies and advancements with what has worked for thousands of years? How is spirituality connected to health? Spirituality is a cultivation of the mind, having a sense of purpose and belonging. Today there is so much social isolation. A lack of spirituality in our culture is overtaking us. When you have spirituality, your need for pain medication or blood pressure medication goes down because stress hormones are in check. Spirituality is meditation, prayer, a walk in nature, the tranquility that comes from a beautiful view. Some forms of exercise give you peace, such as yoga and tai chi. Find something that works for you. You say people should identify their ‘Why?’ for exercise. It’s not magic. When you have a purpose or a goal—to be the best parent, the best gardener, the best rocket scientist—then your activities are purposeful. You don’t have to make yourself lift a thousand pounds or run a thousand miles. If you love gardening, then that activity becomes a purposeful movement and you don’t have to work at it. Mind and body are connected. You don’t seem to be a fan of diets. The word ‘diet’ should simply disappear and be replaced with the word ‘failure.’ I started a failure today. There isn’t a single diet in history that has ever worked. I call myself the un-diet doctor because it’s always lifestyle change that works. Plant-based eating can be delicious. Follow the 80/20 rule, where you make the healthy choice most of the time. You don’t have to act like it’s kryptonite to eat cake. Have the cake but don’t have it every day. Eat until you are two-thirds full. What do you say to people who think they are too busy to exercise? Give me five minutes and I will change your mind. Everyone has something they could give up for exercise. Here is one trick: Park far away from the gym and warm up by walking to the door. Don’t think to yourself, ‘Oh, I worked out so I’m done.’ Movement should be fluid—a part of your life. Is there any doubt why heart disease is the No. 1 killer today? People say, ‘What should we do?’ We should get up and move! What’s the one thing you want readers to take away from your book? Make simple changes that yield big results, transforming you and your family. Read more: 10 Must-Read Books for Happy, Healthy Eating Read more: Give Yourself a Mindfulness Makeover Sandra Bilbray is a contributing editor to Live Happyand Founder and CEO of themediaconcierge.net.

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