HELLO EVERYONE!!!

It has been a busy period for theAbility Center since our last newsletter. Many things have happened; many lives have changed for the better, and many lessons in the trenches have been mastered. For this month we will be discussing:

·        Recap of TACIL’s activities since our last newsletter

·        Sleep Hygiene

·        Recipe of the Month

·        Fact list about arthritis

·        Thank-you to our collaborators

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RECAP OF THE MONTH:

The Ability Center’s three programs continue to do well regardless of the economic atmosphere being experienced in the state of New Mexico and the Country:

·        Our Independent Living program continues doing great work through advocacy services, independent living skills training, Rural Outreach, nursing home transition and other necessary services for persons with disabilities to live independently in their location of choice.

·        Our Social Security Payee Program continues doing well, teaching Consumers how to manage their finances effectively to achieve and maintain economic security. To illustrate how successful this program has been, within the past year, 3 of our Consumers once deemed incapable of handling their own finances are now doing it successfully on their own!!!

·        Our Traumatic Brain Injury Life Skills Coaching Program continues providing quality service to southwestern New Mexico, currently serving 15 individuals.

·        In collaboration with the New Mexico Commission for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CDHH) , ASL classes are being offered to the general public at the Ability Center. We have had an excellent turnout for this project. In addition, we have distributed a lot of information and pamphlets regarding deaf culture and etiquette.

·        In collaboration with the Carl C. Anderson, Sr. and Marie Jo Anderson Charitable Foundation, our food bank program aimed at helping 24 low-income persons with disabilities progresses well. A local Wal-Mart has been a great collaborator helping maximize the effectiveness of this project.

SLEEP HYGIENE TIPS

The promotion of regular sleep is known as sleep hygiene. The following is a list of sleep hygiene tips which can be used to improve sleep. Also included is a list of special relevance to adolescents, who may experience sleep difficulties due to circadian rhythm changes occurring during the teenage years and into young adulthood.

Adults:

1.    Go to bed at the same time each night and rise at the same time each morning.
 

2.    Make sure your bedroom is a quiet, dark, and relaxing environment, which is neither too hot nor too cold.
 

3.    Make sure your bed is comfortable and use it only for sleeping and not for other activities, such as reading, watching TV, or listening to music. Remove all TVs, computers, and other “gadgets” from the bedroom.
 

4.    Physical activity may help promote sleep, but not within a few hours of bedtime.
 

5.    Avoid large meals before bedtime.

Adolescents/Young Adults:

1.    Avoid caffeinated drinks after lunch.
 

2.    Avoid bright light in the evening.
 

3.    Avoid arousing activities around bedtime (e.g., heavy study, text messaging, getting into prolonged conversations).
 

4.    Expose yourself to bright light upon awakening in the morning.
 

5.    While sleeping in on weekends is permissible, it should not be more than 2–3 hours past your usual wake time, to avoid disrupting your circadian rhythm governing sleepiness and
wakefulness.
 

Avoid pulling an “all-nighter” to study.

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

For those looking for a low-carbohydrate diet, the one below fits this search. Enjoy!!!

Chicken Breast with Feta, Celery and Radish Salad

Ingredients

Chicken:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

• 1 romaine lettuce heart, torn into bite size pieces (about 4 cups)
• 2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
• 6 radishes, quartered
• 3 ounces fresh feta, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lemon, quartered

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat a large nonstick oven proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the skillet. Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper on the smooth side of each breast. Place in the skillet seasoned side down and cook without disturbing until brown and crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season the top side of the chicken and flip. Cook 1 minute over the burner; then transfer the skillet to the oven until the chicken registers 165 on an instant-read thermometer, about 8 to 10 minutes more. Set chicken aside to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Divide the romaine, celery, radishes, and feta among 4 plates. Drizzle about 3/4 of a tablespoon of the olive oil over each salad, season with salt and pepper and serve with a lemon wedge.