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Get Healthy De Soto

…having a long-lasting positive impact on the health and safety of the De Soto community by encouraging healthy lifestyle choices, through programs promoting physical activity, healthy nutrition, community involvement, and disease and injury prevention.

Healthy Recipe: Bell Pepper Nachos

Courtesy of Feel Good Foodie

Not your average Nachos

INGREDIENTS 

  • 6 large bell peppers
  • 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
  • ¾ cup canned black beans rinsed and drained
  • ¾ cup sweet yellow corn thawed
  • 1 jalapeño sliced, optional
  • ½ to 1 cup reduced-fat shredded Mexican cheese blend

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a large baking sheet with nonstick oil or line with parchment paper.

2. Use a small sharp knife to core the stem from the pepper. Then slice the pepper in half and then slice each half into 3 equal parts. Each pepper will create 6 “chips”. Lay the bell pepper chips on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer with the insides facing up.

3. In a large heated skillet, stir the ground beef until its cooked through and crumbled. Add the taco seasoning, along with 2/3 cup water and stir. Add the black beans, corn and jalapeños, if using. Mix until well combined and heated through.

4. Spoon the mixture over the bell pepper pieces. Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes.

5. Serve warm with your favorite toppings

If you try a recipe, post a photo of your creation to social media. Be sure to tag us at @GetHealthyDeSoto or #gethealthydesoto.

Reducing stress by building boundaries and reclaiming inner calm

For many of us, the last few years have blurred the lines between work and home. Chronic stress and burnout are on the rise, but with simple strategies for scheduling breaks, building boundaries, and winding down your workday, you can reduce stress and reclaim your inner calm.

Take scheduled breaks

Keep daily stress in check with planned pauses in your workday for standing, stretching, and breathing. These simple activities have an immediate calming effect for the body and mind. Try deep breathing for just one minute and end with an easy stretch. Repeat as needed to refresh and refocus.

Create work-life harmony

It’s easy to get caught up in today’s culture of busyness and anchor our self-worth around a packed to-do list. This is unsustainable and can lead to burnout. Be honest with yourself about your workload. Set a reasonable schedule and let that be your guide. Commit to your boundaries and don’t be afraid to say no to unnecessary meetings.

Unplug to recharge

Just as your phone needs to recharge after constant use, so does your brain. It’s important to mentally shut off from work mode and let your mind unwind. A quick meditation can help you close out each day to shift your focus to restorative activities like connecting with others or getting a good night’s rest.

Another dimension of health: occupational wellness

Occupational wellness is that work/life balance that is so very trendy to discuss but oh so elusive when trying to capture! At least, it can certainly seem that way. Achieving a balance between work and leisure that is healthy and actually financially rewarding is not easy. There are just too many things that throw the balance into flux. Here are some tips to help you achieve occupational wellness and signs that you’re on the right track too.

On the right track…

If you are engaged in interesting (to you) and motivating work, you’re probably have some level of occupational wellness. Here are some other signs that you’re on the right track:

  • You understand how to balance you work and leisure time.
  • Your work challenges you, and you go home at the end of your day with a sense of accomplishment.
  • Your work schedule fits your personal lifestyle.
  • You are able to collaborate and communicate with others in a meaningful way that is productive when necessary and totally freeing when it isn’t.
  • You work independently and with others. (Even positions with a lot of autonomy need to be able to work with others and know when that skill is necessary.)

Falling off the track or still trying to find the track…

If you don’t feel that you have the level of occupational wellness that you should, there are some tips to improve. These are not necessarily easy steps to take or ones that have quick returns. However, incremental changes and diligence can help you reach your goal.

  • Write down your goals and create a plan for reaching them. Use timelines and adjust when necessary. You can’t have a plan to complete your four-year degree in 2 years if you’ve never taken classes before. Be realistic about your goal and the time it will take to reach it. (Good rule of thumb: everything takes longer than you anticipate.)
  • Become better at your job. Gain new skills and become more efficient with the skills you have.
  • Create connections with your co-workers.

Be satisfied with the career or profession you choose. You don’t have to love everyday at work. You just have to feel it is consistent with your own values, interests, and beliefs. That will make you an occupational well individual.

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Mailing Address

520 N. Main Rd.
DeSoto, MO 63020