GRATITUDE IS GOOD MEDICINE

by Madiha Saeed

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Stress, work and family routines can trap us in a pattern of negative thinking that feeds on itself and creates stress and unhappiness. With our internal and external worlds being bombarded these days with negativity, being optimistic is more important now than ever before.

Gratitude is not just a feel-good word. It is an emotion expressing appreciation for what one has—a universal concept in nearly all of the world’s spiritual traditions. Practicing gratitude daily is proven to have actual physiological consequences. It helps lower inflammatory markers, influences epigenetics, improves the immune system and even helps the heart, adding years to life.

Optimism has been found to correlate positively with life satisfaction and self-esteem. “Heartfelt” emotions like gratitude, love and caring produce coherent brain waves radiating to every cell of the body, as shown by technology that measures changes in heart rhythm variation and coherence.

Our subconscious governs 90 percent of our thoughts and actions. It shapes our every behavior. But the subconscious mind is nothing other than neural pathways that have been established in the brain as a result of past beliefs and conditioning. Our subconscious does no thinking of its own, but rather relies on our perception of the world around us, interpreting verbal and nonverbal cues.

When we consciously turn negativity to positivity from the inside-out, the neural pathway associated with negativity will take time to come down fully, so it is critical to practice gratitude regularly. Upon waking in the morning, say 10 things that you are grateful for. Keep a gratitude journal. Put sticky notes all over the house with gratitude messages—on photos, light fixtures, fans, exercise equipment—to create a zone of subliminal positivity.

Remember that our perspective can reflect either our pain or our power. That choice is in our hands. Know what you are grateful for each day.

Madiha Saeed, M.D., ABIHM, is the bestselling author of The Holistic RX, an international speaker, founder of HolisticMomMD. com and director of education for KnoWEwell.

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. ~Robert Brault

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Bon Appétit!

A directory of local restaurants, eateries and markets

FEATURING TWO SISTERS BAKERY AND DELI An Array of Delicacies Await

With delicious bakery items and meals, including many gluten-free or keto-friendly options, Two Sisters Bakery and Deli is proud to serve breakfast and lunch to hungry patrons every Tuesday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. at their beautiful Fairhope location.

Since opening in January 2011, the family-operated restaurant has grown from offering only bakery items and lunches to now offering a full breakfast menu, an expanded lunch menu, expertly crafted baked goods and now also features Boars Head meats and cheeses. “Our beignets and waffles all day has been a delightful addition,” says John Lozano, owner. “The last few years we also extended our gluten-free lunch, breakfast and dessert items and most recently started with ketofriendly diet options.”

The sisters in the business, Liz Lozano and Deborah Bago, are responsible for day-to-day operations, as well as all the baking, with other family members helping out as well.

“We believe in using quality ingredients and have a passion for baking and cooking delicious cakes, cookies and pastries to satisfy any sweet tooth,” says John, adding that they also offer catering services for special events and parties, including cupcakes and other unique desserts that can add the ‘wow factor’ to a gathering. Made from scratch muffins and specialty cakes, as well as carrot and coconut cake are local favorites. The restaurant has an outdoor deck beneath oak trees that seats about 35 and is perfect to host outdoor events such as birthday or anniversary parties, baby or wedding showers and other gatherings where people would like a beautiful location and a wide variety of catered food to choose from. On the regular menu, focaccia, waffles, muffins, beignets, biscuits, ciabatta, croissants and a multitude of cheese and meat choices make the breakfast options seemingly endless. The lunch menu includes sandwiches, paninis, wraps, salads and burgers with sides such as fruit, fries, coleslaw, chicken salad and potato salad. Whit’s frozen custard is the perfect accompaniment to a homemade slice of pie or cake for dessert. “We love the positive feedback from our great customers, especially after the hard work we do, we consistently see their appreciation,” says John.

Location: 19452 Scenic Hwy 98, Fairhope, AL. 251-517-0622. TwoSistersBakeryDeli.com.

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November’s guide to local healthy food in Baldwin County

AGAPÉ JUICES

Nourishing your body, mind and spirit. Fountain Plaza Shopping Center 3782 South McKenzie St., Foley, AL Agape-Juices.com

COASTAL ALABAMA FARMERS & FISHERMENS MARKET

Committed to Baldwin County’s local community & agriculture. 20733 Miflin Rd., Foley, AL CoastalAlabamaMarket.com

ALLEGRI FARM MARKET

Seriously good selection of locally grown fresh fruit, vegetables and much more. 9948 County Road 64, Daphne, AL 251-621-1955

FAIRHOPE HEALTH FOODS

Homegrown in the South since 1975. 280 Eastern Shore Shopping Center Fairhope, AL • 251-928-0644 Va-FairhopeHealthFoods.com

FAIRHOPE JUICE COMPANY

Nourish the body. Fuel the soul. Battles Wharf Market 18327 Scenic Hwy 98, Fairhope, AL FairhopeJuiceCompany.com

LOCALS AT THE ALLEY

Quaint, mom-n-pop eatery providing healthy eats in a casual atmosphere. 312 Fairhope Ave., Fairhope, AL LocalsFairhope.com

MCKENZIE FARMS

Family-owned market supplying fresh produce and more to our community. 17558 A Greeno Rd., Fairhope, AL MckenzieFarmMarket.com

NATURE NINE FARMS

Your source for local, ethical-grown wholesome, delicious food. sperkins@natureninefarms.com NatureNineFarms.com

OHANA POKE

Poke combines ingredients of a delicious sushi roll into a quick meal. 561 Fairhope Ave. #102, Fairhope, AL OPFairhope.com

OX KITCHEN

Made with fresh ingredients in-house daily, approachable, not intimidating. 365 S. Greeno Rd., Fairhope, AL TheOxKitchen.com

SAGE LEBANESE CUISINE & CAFÉ

A surprising blend of traditional and new Mediterranean & Lebanese cuisine. 319 Fairhope Ave., Fairhope, AL SageLebaneseCuisine.com

SUNFLOWER CAFÉ FAIRHOPE

Offering a healthy dining experience in a cozy, casual environment. 320 Eastern Shore Shopping Center Va-FairhopeHealthFoods.com

THE HAPPY OLIVE

Be happy, eat healthy, live well. Taste and experience culinary delight! 314 De La Mare Ave., Fairhope, AL HappyOlive4.com

TWO SISTERS BAKERY & DELI

Gluten-free, keto-friendly options, featuring boars head meats & cheeses. 19452 Scenic Hwy 98, Fairhope, AL 251-517-0622

WAREHOUSE BAKERY & DONUTS

A neighborhood eatery serving made-fromscratch, vegan friendly, gluten-free goodness. 759 Nichols Ave., Fairhope, AL WarehouseBakeryAndDonuts.com

WILDFLOWERS & FRESH FOOD

Simple and colorful high-vibe cooking classes, events and fresh recipes. 251-656-9112 WildFlowersAndFreshFood.com