Lights and Less Stress!

Good Morning! It was a chilly morning here in Mt. Vernon, considering that it was 65 degrees yesterday! We focused on Zoo Day and the top ten foods to decrease stress, (which are really helpful this time of the year). Read all about that and everything else we talked about on the show below!

Morning Thing Game of the Day – Impossible Trivia
Today’s trivia was all about the humble avocado. We have come to know and love this fruit by the name ‘avocado’, but there is another name for this fruit! Our impossible trivia question today was ‘What is the other name that the avocado goes by?’ So the avocado also called the alligator pear! Horticulturists frowned upon this nomenclature because this name was misleading, ungraceful, and generally misleading. Dan doesn’t like them that much, but I still think they’re delicious no matter what you call them! You can read up on the interesting history of the avocado here.
Congratulations to our winner, Emily from Danville. She got the trivia question correct and received a $5 gift certificate to the Southside Diner in Mt. Vernon!

Visit the Zoo Day!
So today, December 27th, is Visit the Zoo Day! I know some people think that zoos are cruel prisons where countless animals are kept, bored to death, but these days, zoos are at the forefront of much of the research which goes on into animal behavior and how best to protect vulnerable animals from extinction. Many zoos have breeding programs running, where they work with other facilities around the world to increase the numbers of endangered populations. You can read more about the history of the zoo itself and visit the zoo day here. The Columbus Zoo is also all decked out in lights for their Columbus Zoo Lights event. You can read more about that event here at their website!

The Best Foods to Decrease Stress
The holidays can be a stressful time, but today we talked about the top ten foods, compiled by Food Network, to eat when you want to decrease your stress levels! You can read the whole article here on Food Network’s website!
10. Avocados and Bananas
– Loaded with potassium to keep your blood pressure low!
9. Tea
Here’s a tea tangent for you, telling you what tea you should be drinking when!
Chamomile is best when you’re stressed out, angry, or about to go to bed.
-Green tea is best when you’re tired, trying to lose weight, or feeling sick.
– Chai tea if you have a stomach ache or are feeling sluggish
– Oolong tea if you’re trying to burn fat or breaking out in acne
– Peppermint tea if you’re prone to headaches or feeling sore.
8. Swiss Chard
– High in magnesium which helps balance the body’s stress hormone, cortisol.
7. Fatty Fish such as salmon, sardines, and tuna.
– High in Omega 3’s which keep your adrenaline levels boosted
6. Whole Wheat Pretzels
-High in carbohydrates which offer an energy boost, and trigger a release of serotonin!
5. Carrots
– This is the healthy alternative to grabbing another crunchy food like potato chips!
4. Milk
3. Yogurt
– These two items are high in multiple vitamins and calcium to relieve tense muscles!
2. Nuts like pistachios, almonds and walnuts
– High in vitamins and zinc that boost your immune system
1. CHOCOLATE! AHH YAY!
– Lowers cortisol and releases mood improving serotonin.
Have a safe rest of your Christmas season!
Best wishes from Dan & Lilly on the Morning Thing!