Michael Culloty - Money Advice and Budgeting Service www.mabs.ie

Are you eating your feelings?

If you crave junk food when life gets you down, stressed, frustrated or even just bored, then you are turning to food to distract you from dealing with your feelings. We all know the damage that eating crisps, chocolate, cakes and carbs can do to all your hard work eating healthy, but all resolve disappears with one bump in the road.

If this seems familiar to you, then you are an emotional eater. What you need to ask yourself is ‘what is this about?’

Julia Buckroyd, Emeritus Professor of Counseling of the University of Hertfordshire and Director, Obesity and Eating disorders Research Unit.

“Julia has been interested in why we eat what we eat for a long time now. Twenty-five years ago she was a newly trained counselor working in a dance school with students. So many of them had problems with food and everything that goes with it – weight, shape and size – that she felt really motivated to understand why many of us seem unable to eat the way we know we should. She has been working in this same area ever since and have spent the last decade writing and researching.
She has come to the conclusion that very many of us are soothing ourselves with food on a daily basis. Our culture provides us with more food than we know what to do with and we have found out how to use it to comfort ourselves. Unfortunately that ‘comfort’ turns out not to be so comforting after all, if we use it too much. We can put on too much weight, with all the problems that creates, both physical and in terms of self-esteem.” Ref-www.understandingyoureating.co.uk

What is emotional eating?

It is when eating is driven by emotion, rather than hunger. We all know what the danger is of eating junk foods. We are educated in what is healthy and what is not, but we can’t stop ourselves. Emotional eaters have an attachment to food and are not good at using other methods of self soothing.

Why do we do it?

We are looking to distract ourselves from the emotions that we are feeling. Even boredom.
Emotional Eating is a vicious circle.

1. When our self esteem has taken a blow due to life’s ups and downs, we tend to eat to save our emotions rather than being aware of what we are feeling. However overeating makes us feel bad about ourselves, which leads to more emotions, leading to more eating. This pattern is repeating over and over, leading to health and weight problems down the line.

2. We discover that it gives us a hit is likely to make us do it again. This is what we call Cognitive Behavourial Therapy.

What is CBT?

“The premise of CBT is that what people think affects how they feel emotionally and how they behave. During times of emotional distress the way a person sees and judges themselves may become more negative. CBT therapists aim to work jointly with the person to help them begin see the link between unhelpful thinking styles and mood. This may empower a person to have more control over negative emotion and to bring about changes in unhelpful behaviour. It can be particularly effective for stress related conditions, anxiety, phobias, obsessions, eating disorders and depression.” www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/tutors/counselling/informationpages/defintionsofmhprofessions/

3. Self Esteem – Think about a specific situation where something has gone wrong – We put ourselves down, blame ourselves and speak to ourselves inwardly that will undoubtedly make you feel worse. When we turn to food, there bio chemically there is a level of comfort that makes you feel better temporarily, but in the long run makes us feel worse, which again leads to overeating.
In fact the vast majority of us do some emotional eating – the issue is, how much, and whether it bothers us or interferes with our functioning.

Do people turn to food like they would turn to alcohol, drugs – is it a similar emotional crutch?

It’s exactly like drugs, alcohol etc but it is more of a strategy, rather than a crutch. We all need our strategies to cope with life, but some are more destructive than others.

Why is it destructive for us emotionally?

The other main problem which is important to understand is that if you are comforting a particular feeling using food, then the actual problem is not taken care of. So not only are you adding to your problems with food, you are ignoring the emotions that you are feeling for a reason.
And ultimately it isn’t very satisfying as well as being bad for health
Is there a quick emergency fix – i.e. something to say to yourself when you find yourself emotionally eating?
Your emergency fix should a mantra, the name of the person you love best, something to interrupt the impulse.

Self Esteem

What has self esteem got to do with emotional eating?
Think about a specific situation where something has gone wrong – We put ourselves down, blame ourselves and speak to ourselves inwardly that will undoubtedly make you feel worse. When we turn to food, there bio chemically there is a level of comfort that makes you feel better temporarily, but in the long run makes us feel worse, which again leads to overeating.

How can we begin to stop it?

1. Be aware that you are doing it.
2. We need to find another voice, a voice that chooses to identify the feelings that you are trying to distract yourself from when you reach for food for comfort.
3. Use people rather than food – Find someone you can trust to be your comfort if life gets you down.

Rethink your values

If you feel bad about yourself the best thing to do is take a look at how you see other people. Think of people in your life and write a list about how you would describe them. You may describe people as funny, friendly, outgoing, shy, good listener etc. When you look at the list you’ll find that very little of how you judge other has anything to do with what they look like, and therefore that is how people see you.

Julia runs and created an Understanding your Eating Programme in the UK- see below for details or visit www.understandingyoureating.co.uk

Dr Claire Hayes will deliver the November lecture, in a change to the advertised schedule. The title is An Approach to Good Mental Health: Reducing Stress and Developing Resilience. Click here for more information on all lectures including a lecture in Cork on Nov 19th.

www.aware.ie

Amendment to email address on “Silence is Violence”.Email should be astmanagerbwr@eircom.net

Community Administrative Support Centre

From Monday, 9 November 2009

Our Office Hours will be as follows:

Monday – Thursday: 9.00am to 1.00pm

Friday: 9.00am to 12.30pm

I will no longer be working as administrator. However, I stress that our services and work for all community and voluntary organisations in Co Wicklow will continue as usual.Collette Ghith and Tracy Kirkpatrick will be here to look after all your needs.I am sad to be gone. I have made many friends over the years and it has been a joy to meet, to get to know you and to work for so many wonderful people.

Warmest good wishes to you all

Ann

Ann Booth

CASC

Administrator

Tel:                01 211 6808         01 211 6808

casc@eircom.net

‘Madeley’Eglinton Road,Bray,Co.Wicklow

The Official – Joe Dolan Tribute

Sat November 14th Greville Arms Hotel, Mullingar
Stayover Special including Mike Denver on Sun 15th November
Tickets Available From Hotel

Sat November 21st Red Cow Inn, Dublin
Eve Of FAI Cup Final Party

CHRISTMAS PARTIES

Sat December 5th/12th Ashbourne House Hotel
Booking at Showtours, Dinner and Show €50

Fri December 11th Greville Arms Hotel, Mullingar.
Booking at Hotel Reception

Thurs December 17th Salthill Hotel
Fri December 18th CastleArch Hotel Trim
Sat December 19th Fairways Hotel Dundalk

Live In Action

Now Booking For Shows—Seamus Casey @  044 9348632  044 9348632 or Adrian @  086 4035894

John is the MD of Harmonics, (www.harmonics.ie) Ireland’s number 1 provider in helping managers and professionals to grow and develop their careers. John has personally coached over 250 professionals through career change in the last 10 years when they were faced with redundancy. His work has consistently shown him that each individual has the ability and talent to become an entrepreneur but few have the belief. John’s view is that for Ireland to recover, we all have to develop a ’self employed mindset’. We have to become Leaders of our career direction whatever the circumstances and build new futures even if we see little hope on the horizon. John’s company Harmonics work with corporate clients such as O2, Diageo, Superquinn, Danone, TDK, Tyco and AOL who are making management and professional staff redundant.

This Christmas have Santa send that special little someone a personalised letter.Receive a personalised letter including a colouring set with crayons and a special certificate of goodness from Santa to your child postal to you house.

To order a letter by phone simply:-

1590 778 114 (ROI)

0906 349 0128 (UK)

And follow the instructions

(Calls cost €2.90 or €1.50 per min last approx.2min 10 sec)

To order a letter by text:-

Text letter to 57802 (ROI)

Text letter to 81108 (UK)

(Texts cost 4*£1.50)

&

You could Win a Trip to Lapland for 2 Adults and 2 Children Plus €1000 Spending Money.

Just Answer the Following Question

Q: – Which Reindeer Has a Red Nose?

A: – Rudolph OR B: – Blitzen

For Your Chance to win this fantastic prize, text LAND followed by your answer A or B and send to 57033 (€2 Entry)

Most people should at least have one attempt at making Christmas cake, we’ve got a recipe that’s easy and simple to do if you follow our guide

With its rich fruit and the plentiful addition of alcohol, the Christmas cake has an important place at the table in any traditional Irish Christmas. Louise is here to guide us through the steps involved in making the Christmas cake

The Christmas cake should be made at least 6 to 8 weeks before eating, so now is the perfect time.

Louise Lennox – chef

After a childhood in Dundrum, Co Dublin and inspired by her mother’s baking skills, Louise was nine when she burnt her first cake. 2 years later her 5th class teacher encouraged her to tackle her dyslexia, by using cookery books for to help her reading skills improve. Louise baked cakes for homework and thus proved to herself, and her classmates, that she had discovered her creative strengths.
Fast forward to Leaving Cert, and while the others in the class were studying for high points, Louise was working as a commis chef for the ‘Irish Management Institute’. So while she did complete her Leaving Cert, Louise’s focus was already on her true passion and future career.
For 3 years Louise studied professional cookery at Cathal Brugha Street. There she discovered her natural flair for pastry work and quickly moved to a prime job in Mahers in Dublin 4. Two years later, aged just 22, she became Head Pastry Chef at the renowned Dobbins Restaurant under the ownership of the late John O’Byrne. It was here that Louise honed her skills in the art of the plated dessert, and where her creations in edible art, such as sugar skills and chocolate work, were recognised. Nowadays you will find Louise, the self-employed pastry chef, selling her breads, biscuits and cakes in the Cup Cake Cottage in Airfield in Dundrum. She also sets aside time to give cookery lessons to children, a job she particularly loves. Louise has contributed to many radio programmes including Boiled, Baked and Basted; Family Flavours; Christmas Eve Food Special and The Tubridy Show, and is currently a contributor on the Will Leahy Show on radio 2FM.
Louise made her debut on television on The Restaurant, and as a longtime fan of the show she is particularly thrilled to be part of the team. Louise is also a contributor to The Afternoon Show on RTE One.

Double check that you have everything you need before you start making the cake!

The day before you plan making the cake:

. Place all the dried fruit (except the cherries) peel into a bowl, add the whiskey, and stir to mix well.
. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to soak for a minimum of twelve hours and up to 24 hours.

Prepare your tin as follows:- Tools needed:

. 9″ Square Tin or 10″ Round Tin
. Baking Parchment
. Brown Paper
. String
To line a square tin -
. Put the tin in the centre of the baking parchment or greaseproof paper.
. Measure the length and width and double the depth the paper should extend 1-2″ higher than tin.
. Make four lines from the papers edge up to the corner, and cut along the lines.
. Grease the tin and place the paper inside, folding and over lapping the corners to fit.
. Using the tin as a guide, and using a pencil, mark out the size of the base.
. Cut out two double bases and place inside the tin and grease each one as you put it in.

To line a round tin

. Cut a strip of baking parchment or greaseproof paper longer and higher than the outside of the tin.
. Fold it in half and fold back about an inch along its length.
. Using a pair of scissors, snip the paper up to the fold every ½”.
. Grease the tin and press the paper onto the sides.Using the tin as a guide, and using a pencil, mark out the size of the base.
. Cut out two double bases and place inside the tin and grease each one as you put it in.

Louise Lennox’s Christmas Cake 2009

Ingredients

. 10 oz Butter – at room temperature
. 10oz Muscovado Sugar
. 5 Large Eggs
. 4 Tablespoons Maple Syrup or Golden Syrup
. 10oz Plain Flour
. 4 oz Ground Almonds
. 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
. ½ Teaspoon Mixed Spice
. ½ Teaspoon Ground Ginger
. 4oz Crystallised Lemon and Orange Peel or Mixed peel
. 4oz Maraschino or Marcello Cherries -dried, chopped and tossed in a tablespoon of flour
. 4 oz Dried Blueberries
. 4oz Tinned Strawberries
. 4oz Greek Currants
. 10oz Golden Sultanas
. 10oz Jumbo Raisins
. 4oz Macadamia Nuts – roughly chopped
. 12 Tablespoons Irish Whiskey, Dark rum, Sherry or Brandy

Method

1. Sieve the flour, ground almonds and spices into a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
3. Break the eggs into a small bowl and lightly beat with a fork.
4. Add a tablespoon of the beaten eggs at a time to the creamed sugar and butter.
5. Beat well after each addition. If the mixture looks as if it might be starting to curdle, add in a little of the measured flour and spice mix.
6. When all the eggs have been added, fold in the flour and spices using a metal spoon.
7. Add the maple syrup to the soaked fruits and stir well.
8. Very gently stir the soaked fruits, the cherries, strawberries, crystallised lemon and orange peel and the nuts.
9. Using a metal spoon carefully spoon the mixture into the prepared tin.
10. Use the back of a wet spoon to even off the mixture and make a slight indentation in the centre to ensure that the surface is even when cooked.
11. Cover the outside of the tin with a double band of brown paper and tie with string. Once the cake mixture is in the tin, the top can be covered with a clean tea towel and it can be left until the next day before cooking.
12. Put a double layer of baking parchment on top of the cake and put into the preheated oven.

See temperatures and cooking times below.

Oven Temperatures and Approximate cooking times

ELECTRIC OVEN

Bake at 170o for 1 ½ hours then reduce the heat to 150o for remaining 2 hours
GAS OVEN
Bake at gas mark 3 for 1 ½ hours then reduce the heat to gas mark 2 for remaining 2 hours
FAN OVEN
This is a guideline only as it is best to refer to the manufacturers instructions. Some manufacturers suggest that Christmas Cakes should be placed in a cold oven, while other manufacturers say that the oven should be preheated. So these are the suggested temperatures. Bake at 150o for 1 ½ hours then reduce the heat to 130o for the remaining 2 hours. Again check the cooking instructions that you got with your oven.

IMPORTANT NOTE

As all oven temperatures vary, it is important to check that the cake is cooked after the cooking time is up. This is done by the following:

1. See if the cake has shrunk away from the sides of the tin.
Press firmly on top of the cake and if no indentations are left remove it from the oven.
2. Gently put a thin metal skewer into the middle of the cake and if it comes out clean, the cake is ready.
Next step
1. When the cake is cooked, remove from the oven and leave the cake to cool completely in the tin.
2. Once the cake is cold, leave the lining paper on and cover the cake with extra baking parchment or greaseproof paper and then wrap tinfoil over it. Never wrap fruit cakes directly in tinfoil as the foil interacts with the fruit.

Every week, until the cake is iced, “feed” it by taking a skewer and making holes over its surface and pour about a tablespoon of whatever alcohol that was used in baking the cake. This helps to keep it moist and adds to the flavour.

Cooking Tips for making Christmas Cakes

1. Always buy good quality dried fruit.

2. Don’t use dried fruit that you find at the back of a cupboard. It will have dried up more since the last time that it was used.

3. Never use self raising flour when baking fruit cakes as it will cause your cake to crack.

4. Always use the size tin given in the recipe.

5. Don’t use flour that is at the back of your cupboard, it will probably be damp, so buy a fresh one.

6. All ingredients must be at room temperature and butter must be slightly soft. If the butter is not soft it won’t cream into the sugar satisfactorily.

7. Eggs will curdle if they are taken straight from the fridge and used immediately to add to the creamed butter and flour.

8. If you don’t want to add alcohol to your cake, you can use fruit juice. I find a mixture of orange and apple the best.

9. Take time to line the tins and when the mixture is in the tin, put brown paper around it. As fruit cakes take a long time to cook, it is very important that the edges and the bottom don’t cook before the centre of the cake. It this happens, the outside of the cake will be hard and tasteless.

10. Don’t open the oven door until the cake is cooked! Opening the door allows cold air into the oven and your cake will sink!

11. Also, while your cake is cooling, keep it away from drafts.