WINTER COMFORT FOODS FOR YOUR HEALTH
Some aren't quite what you'd think--while others are quite familiar and comforting:
"Oh, the weather outside is frightful—but what you put in your mouth shouldn't be. Especially since research shows that what you eat during the winter months can help you survive some of Mother Nature's cruelest whims. It turns out that the real comfort food when the thermometer dips isn't hot toddies, Mallomars, or mac and cheese, but nutritious options—like soup, salmon, and lots and lots of water—that trick your body into thinking it's July. Whether you're dealing with dry skin or bad moods, we've got five successful winter-eating strategies to leave you feeling your best and stay healthy—even when the weather is at its worst....

OATMEAL:  When the days get shorter, so does your brain's supply of the feel-good chemical serotonin, says Judith Wurtman, Ph.D., visiting scientist at MIT and author of The Serotonin Power Diet (Rodale, January 2007). "That blah feeling we get in the winter is related to a lack of serotonin, which is linked to lack of sunlight," she says.   Since serotonin can be found in food, you might think you can just eat your way to happiness by munching on chow high in the stuff. Unfortunately, it's not that easy; your brain needs to manufacture its own serotonin for you to get that euphoric effect. Eating the right foods in the right amounts will cause that chemical chain reaction in your body. "As winter progresses and your moods get frailer, if you eat carbs in a calorie-controlled way, your brain can restore its serotonin to what it was in the summer," Wurtman says.   She recommends eating a carb-based, 150- to 200 calorie, low-fat snack in the late afternoon (when moods tend to be at their lowest). Make it something with substance—try a satisfying instant oatmeal like Quaker Oats Oatmeal Crunch. A small sweet potato, whole-grain toast, an English muffin with a bit of jam, or a snack-size bag of pretzels are other healthy carbohydrate sources. Large amounts of protein can interfere with serotonin production, so avoid eating protein-heavy foods for a couple of hours before your carb-rich snack."

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AHH, THAT SMELL

Meanwhile, this next story doesn't necessarily have any health or Moebius Syndrome-related significance; I just thought it was cute and brought back fond memories of my younger days.  What does it have to do with smell?  Read on:

"Before many of you were born, or moved east, the Eastern Seaboard would disappear at this time of year.

It was probably unhealthful. It was smoke from burning leaves. The motorized leaf-catcher was unknown. Raking leaves was a family affair, enjoyed by some, despised by many, but a necessity. If, after all, a summer of green canopies was to be enjoyed, there was a price.  From the air, the eastern limits of the United States began somewhere along the borders of the Midwestern States. Eastward was a light haze....One nearly longs for those days when the eastern seaboard disappeared in a smoky haze. The sign was unmistakable: it was Fall."

Nor was this only the case on the eastern seaboard.  You'd always catch the smell of burning leaves back when I was in elementary school, growing up in western Michigan.  Indeed, I suppose all that smoke wasn't good for you.  But...I kind of liked the smell.  And it was indeed part of the rite of passage, that autumn was here, with falling leaves, crisp temperatures, and football.  It was kind of neat...

"Success in life depends upon staying power. The reason for failure
in most cases is lack of perseverance. Men get tired and give up."
-J.R. Miller