Salad Vinaigrette

Posted on March 21
Don't rinse the end of your jam jars.
 
Add apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt & pepper and shake for a salad vinaigrette.
jam
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Food as Medicine: Inflammation

Posted on March 01
Inflammation is one of the top buzzwords for 2023. 
 
And for a good reason. While I have no intention of fear-mongering you about inflammation, I want to EDUCATE and EMPOWER you to live and feel better. 
 
The fact is, food plays a crucial role in how you feel and perform in life. Short-term inflammation is associated with brain fog, fatigue, and achy joints. In contrast, long-term inflammation is linked with chronic diseases such as cancers, diabetes, heart disease, depression, etc. 
 
The good news is that your food and lifestyle habits can combat inflammation. And reducing your body’s inflammation leaves you feeling healthy, strong, and ready to embrace the day! 
 
I hope you enjoy this issue as I dive into the essentials of an anti-inflammatory diet. If you’re ready to go deeper in fighting inflammation to nourish a healthier and stronger life, contact me for a private session! 
 
The Essentials of an Anti-Inflammatory Diet


Vegetables and Fruits: Study after study continues to show that a high intake of vegetables and fruits offers significant protein against cancer, heart disease, and other chronic diseases. Low in calories and rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, vegetables and fruits are the cornerstones of an anti-inflammatory diet. Eating a variety of produce, from leafy greens to carrots to berries, provides the nutrients essential for a vibrant and strong life.

How to Eat It: Create the habit of including a vegetable or fruit at every meal and snack! The more you practice adding produce to your meals, the easier it will become, and the better you will feel!

Pro Tip: Fresh and frozen produce provide more health benefits than canned or dried versions. Also, always eat more vegetables than fruit due to the fructose in the fruit.

The Right Fats: Monounsaturated fats, such as extra-virgin oil and avocado oil, are high in oleic acid and polyphenols, providing significant anti-inflammatory properties.Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for regulating the production of pro and anti-inflammatory compounds.

How to Eat: Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil as your primary fat in food preparation, including as salad dressing. Fatty fish such as sardines, mackerel, and wild salmon are the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids rich in EPA and DHA.

Pro Tip: Eat fish 2 to 3 times a week to help keep inflammation in check. Supplement with krill oil.

Whole Grains: Whole grains are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals, helping to reduce cholesterol levels, promote digestive health, and reduce chronic inflammation. Grains such as barley, quinoa, millet, and wheat berries support a healthy gut microbiome, helping to reduce inflammation.

How to Eat It: Step up your whole-grain game and experiment in the kitchen with barely, millet, and wheat berries! Include cooked barely-in green salad for a nutrient-dense energy boost, top baked goods with raw millet for an extra crunch, and add cooked wheat berries to soups. Limit grains to once per day with more focus on produce. You can also try some of the low carb, high fiber substitutes as fiber helps with gut microbiome health which in turn lowers inflammation.

Pro Tip: Cooked grains such barley or quinoa can be frozen and reheated for leftovers.

Plant-Based Proteins: Vegetable proteins such as beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds are high in fiber, magnesium, and phytonutrients. Studies have shown magnesium can help reduce inflammation—vegetable protein beneficial phytonutrients.

How to Eat It: Add to salads, soups, or as a side dish.

Pro Tip: Snack on 1 ounce of nuts or seeds per day or add to salads or shakes.
The Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle Checklist


Drink More:
  • Water
  • Green tea
    •  

Move More:
  • Aim for at least four days a week of exercise
  • Incorporate strength and flexibility exercises into your routine
  • Include movement that increases your heart rate for cardiovascular health
  • Add more steps in your day-to-day activities
    •  

Enjoy in Moderation:
  • Plain dark chocolate(with a minimum cocoa content of 70 percent).
    •  

Eat Less:
  • Sugar
  • Fried foods
  • Red meat (unless grass fed)
  • Refined carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, baked goods, crackers, etc.
    •  

Dink Less:
  • Alcohol - If you drink, limit to no more than one drink per day for women or two drinks per day for men
  • Sweetened beverages, including sodas and sports drinks
    •  

Don’t:
  • Smoke
    •  
Featured Recipe
Roasted Carrot Hummus



 

  • 4 - medium carrots (washed, ends trimmed)
  • 1 - small white onion (cut in chunks)
  • 1 - clove garlic (peeled)
  • 1 pound - uncooked red lentils
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon tahini (optional)
  • ½ pound walnuts
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • Water to thin
  • Fresh cilantro or parsley (for extra fanciness)
    •  


How to:

    1. Heat the oven to 200 degrees.
    2. Add the onion chunks, garlic cloves, and carrots on the baking tray.
    3. Drizzle over with olive or avocado oil, salt curry powder, and cumin powder.
    4. Roast the vegetables for 20 minutes or until soft.
    5. Boil the lentils according to the packaging instructions.
    6. In a pan heated to medium heat, add the walnuts, toast for five minutes, and stir continuously to prevent burning.
    7. Now it’s time to combine everything! Add the roasted vegetables, the boiled (and drained) lentils, lemon juice, chili powder, black pepper, tahini and water in a food processor.
    8. Process until smooth. Scrape down the sides if needed.
    9. Taste and add more salt or other spice if needed.
    10. Add the toasted walnuts and pulse a few times (you want the walnuts to be roughly chopped to give the hummus some texture.
    11. Serve it on a Wasa crisp bread!
      12.  
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Time For A Tune-Up?

Posted on January 25

I am offering a tune-up special for previous clients for only $40 (normally $50).

If you are a new client, I’m offering a discount for an initial consult of $125 (normally $150).

NEW 2023 SPECIAL! 20% OFF PACKAGES!

Initial consult plus 1 follow up: $190
Initial consult plus 2 follow ups: $230
Initial consult plus 3 follow ups: $270
Initial consult plus 5 follow ups: $350
(You can add a grocery store tour to any package for $110)

Schedule your appointment by the end of February to receive this discount. (Please mention this special when scheduling and it will be applied to your visit).

Here are a few tips to get you back on track for the New Year.

1. Don’t skip breakfast!

2. Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.

3. Keep portion sizes in mind.

4. Embrace homemade meals.

5. Explore new foods and flavors.

6. Drink more water, fewer sugary beverages.

(Please note all appointments are remote and can be scheduled via phone, Facetime or Zoom)

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Chocolate Collagen

Posted on January 17
I have been adding unflavored collagen to my coffee for awhile now, but then I found this!
I add one scoop of chocolate collagen to my coffee with 1 TBSP of organic 1/2 & 1/2. It tastes like a gourmet mocha coffee.
I have tried other brands and they just do not have the same taste .... so good.
I have also used this product to make chocolate milk with unsweetened almond milk.
ENJOY! ????
collagen
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New Mindset, New Results

Posted on January 03
 
 
 

In contrast to the commonly expressed idea that you "can't teach an old dog new tricks," scientists have demonstrated that adults can grow their brains, too. Learning is a lifetime endeavor; regardless of where you are, you can train your brain to drop the negative and praise the positive! 

As you turn the page to another year, I invite you to join me in achieving new results with a new mindset

 
3 Steps to Cultivate a New Mindset and Achieve New Results


Challenge the Negative. When it comes to cultivating a new mindset and achieving new results, the first step is challenging negative thoughts and words with positive ones. More often than not, negative feelings stem from remembering something from the past or imagining a bad situation instead of the reality of positive possibilities.

Negative thinking is a bad habit that can quickly spiral into a downward cycle of irrational thoughts. The good news is that you can reverse the pattern of negative thinking with practice. The more you practice, the easier it becomes to see and experience the positive!

Action to achieve new results: Each time a negative thought crosses your mind (or lips), challenge it with something positive. Take it up a notch with journaling! Writing down positive affirmations can be more effective for uplifting your mind and mood.

Get Personal With Your Inner Critic. Yup, I am referring to that voice in your head that won't stop putting you down and pointing out all your mistakes or mishaps. It's time to make it personal. Begin by noting the situations your inner critic likes to make an appearance. Identify the patterns of what conditions might trigger this inner critic to use its voice. As you become more aware of when and why your inner critic likes to show up, you can empower yourself on how to keep it quiet.

Action to achieve new results: Retract the invitation. Next time you prepare for an event or situation where your inner critic has historically made an appearance, let them know they're not invited. As silly as this might sound, there is a lot of power in you taking control of the situation and letting this inner critic know their opinions are not welcomed. And each time they attempt to interject with their unwanted thoughts and comments, remind them they are not invited, and therefore, you're not listening to their negative notions.

Practice Praising Yourself and Others. While it's essential to identify and replace the negative, it's even more meaningful to practice praising yourself and others! The more you practice noticing the positive, the more natural it becomes to see the good, in yourself, in others, and the world around you. Challenge yourself to cultivate the habit of seeing the positive in all things.

Learn the art of praise. For many people, it can feel uncomfortable to praise and acknowledge achievements or deeds, especially when it comes to oneself. But what if you thought of praise as simply the act of admiration and approval for something or someone? Can you admire and approve of all you have achieved and accomplished? Can you respect and support the work of someone else?

Action to achieve new results:
  1. Journal what you've done in your life that you approve of while reflecting on things about yourself that you admire.
  2. Think about other people in your personal and professional life and tell them why you admire them.
  3. Note the times you've shown up for yourself and for others that are worth celebrating!

The more you praise good work in yourself and others, the more good you'll experience.

And the key here is to keep practicing! Practice challenging the negative. Practice getting personal with your inner critic. Practice praising yourself and others.
Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset


Regardless of your age, education, or life experience, the secret to achieving new goals is to adopt a growth mindset. Someone with a growth mindset recognizes that abilities, talents, and intelligence are learnable and can improve with the right effort and training. On the other hand, someone with a fixed mindset doesn't believe that one's ability, talents, or intelligence can change.

Anyone can adopt a growth mindset by practicing the steps laid out in the above article. Here are a few phrases that can transform a fixed mindset into one ready to grow and evolve.

Fixed Mindset Phrase -> Growth Mindset Mantra

If I fail, I will never succeed. -> Failure is a chance to learn and experience new things.

This is hard; I can't do it. -> This is challenging, but growth only comes with a challenge.

I've got a long way to go to be the person I want to be. -> I've come so far and grown so much from who I was.

I'll never reach my goals; my dreams are out of reach. -> Anything is possible, and I can do amazing things. I'll take it one day at a time.

Rather than face uncertainty, I stick to what I know. -> I'm ready to try new things and will embrace uncertainty.
Featured Recipe
Turmeric Mango Oatmeal Smoothie




Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup Quaker Oats
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup fresh mango
  • 1/3 cup plain Greek Yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 cup ice
    •  

Directions: Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.

Tip: For a smoother consistency, microwave the oats with 1/4 cup water for 1 minute, cool, then add to blender.
Tip: FOR A LOWER CARB SHAKE ....  use 2 TBSP of chia seeds instead of oats and 1 tsp of Stevia instead of honey. You can soak the chia seeds for 20 minutes for a smooth consistency.
 

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ZOUP!

Posted on December 14
This Chicken & Riced Cauliflower Soup is the best pre-made bone broth soup I have purchased.
 
You can eat the whole jar for only 150 calories, 13 grams of net carbs, 4 grams of fiber, 3 grams of fat and 13 grams of protein.
 
Delicious!
s-zoup
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FINALLY ..... two healthy soda alternatives!

Posted on December 05
Olipop: This spin on soda has only 45 calories, 6 grams of net carbs and 9 gram of fiber. This soda will fill your gut with friendly prebiotics/fiber for optimal gut function.
 
Poppi: This prebiotic soda has only 20 calories, 5 grams or less of net carbs and apple cider vinegar.
poppi
oli
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Eat Less With Box Breathing

Posted on December 05

Stress eating is something I talk with clients about all the time. A lot of people reach for comfort food when they’re feeling stressed. While you may feel better now, the relaxing feelings don’t last. And you may even feel worse because you ate something you wouldn’t have eaten otherwise.

In this month’s newsletter, you’ll learn about how to overcome stress eating and get some ideas of things to do other than hit the refrigerator or pantry.

3 Steps to Stop Stress Eating


Step One -> Pause and Box Breathe. The first step to combat reacting to stress with food is to pause and breathe. While this concept of pausing and breathing might sound cliche, the truth is there’s a lot of research to support the practice of deep breathing for stress reduction. 

Box breathing is a deep breathing technique that can help you slow down, re-center your thoughts, and calm down your nervous system. To practice box breathing, follow these steps: 
  • Breathe in while slowly counting to four. 
  • Hold your breath for 4 seconds. 
  • Slowly exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds.
  • Repeat until you feel re-centered. 

While the practice of box breathing is simple, the results are powerful. Backed by research, box breathing lowers the stress hormone cortisol and blood pressure while also helping to calm the mind and improve focus. 

Box breathing is something you can do anytime and anywhere! If the feelings of stress, anxiety, and overwhelm start to creep in, pause and box breath. After completing the box breathing exercises, move onto the next step! 

Step Two-> Check in with yourself. Before grabbing the bag of chips, diving into a pint of ice cream, or dishing up more pizza, check in with yourself. Do a quick head-to-toe scan and see what’s happening in your body. What do you notice? Here are a few questions to ask yourself: 
  • Am I tired? Have I been getting enough rest? Maybe I need a 10 - 30 minute nap. 
  • Have I been working at the computer or inside for a few hours? Perhaps I need fresh air?
  • Am I feeling anxious or nervous about an upcoming meeting? Is there someone I could talk to about this? 
  • When was the last time I fueled myself? Did I give my body enough nourishment? 
  • Am I hungry? If I’m not hungry, what else is going on?
  • Have I been hydrating myself? Maybe I’m thirsty?

By calming down your stress response and checking in with yourself, you empower yourself to make choices and lifestyle changes instead of reacting to stress by eating or drinking excessively. 

Step Three -> Make a choice. You can go ahead and eat even if you’re not hungry. Or, you can choose to get outside and take a walk, call a friend, or get a glass of water (see the mini article below for more ideas). Stopping to make a choice helps you decide what you want to do instead of running on autopilot for food.

If you decide you are not hungry, here are some stress-reducing activities to choose from: 
  • Step outside and take a few deep breaths (bonus for taking your shoes off and standing in the grass)
  • Take a walk
  • Call a friend
  • Journal
  • Color in a coloring book
  • Read a book
  • Meditate
  • Drink a glass of water
  • Take a power nap
  • Play with a pet

Bonus step-> Keep a journal to create awareness of what triggers stress and how you choose to respond. Write down what is working and what you feel stressed about, your choice, and if you’d do anything differently next time. Keeping notes about what’s going on can help remind you how you reacted in the past and what changes you want to make in the future.

 
More Stress Reducing Tips: 

  1. Participate in daily physical activity. While going to the gym might not be feasible, you can still participate in physical activity. Regular movement is essential for a healthy mind and body! It helps to reduce stress, improve your mood, and keep your heart and muscles healthy.
  2. Eat nutrient-dense foods. When it comes to eating during this time, many factors can play into what you can eat. Aim to consume nutrient-dense foods like beans, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and plant-based fats. These foods are important because they provide energy and nutrients for a healthy mind and body.
  3. If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation. While alcohol might temporarily reduce stress, it actually intensifies the pressure you were already feeling in the long run. Alcohol abuse is a common and serious issue when it comes to trauma. If you or a loved one is suffering from alcohol abuse or addiction, seek out immediate support.
  4. Limit caffeine and other stimulates. It can be natural to turn to caffeine for an energy boost during stress. However, it’s essential to recognize that stimulants, such as caffeine, can increase your stress and anxiety. Pay attention to how your body responds. If you notice caffeine enhances the feelings of stress and anxiety, reduce or eliminate your intake.
  5. Keep a stash of jokes on hand. Seriously, this might seem a little off the cuff, but laughter and having a sense of humor are good for your health and well-being.
  6. Rest. One of the best ways to empower yourself for success is to ensure you get enough ZZZs! Being tired can increase cravings for high-fat, high-sugar foods and lead to a cycle of binge eating. Make sleep a priority, just as you do exercise and healthy eating.
  7. Keep a positive attitude in all you do today. See the good in everything and know you are on a journey to learn, grow, and share with others.
 
 

 

Be Inspired

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3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookie

Posted on December 01

Ingredients: 

  • 1 cup natural crunchy peanut butter
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup Swerve or Truvia (granular)
    •  


Instructions: 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix until well combined.
  3. Using a cookie scoop or your hands, form 15 one-inch balls and place them on a cookie sheet. Use a fork to press down and create a crisscross pattern on the top.
  4. Bake for 10-13 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Let cool on the cookie sheet, then enjoy!
    5.  


Makes 15 servings

Nutrition per serving:  110 calories, 9 grams fat, 75 mg sodium, 10 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 5 grams protein

pb cookie

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The African Diet Spoon

Posted on November 14

We all want the quick fix or magic diet pill for weight loss. Well look no further. My sister found the answer in Africa! The African Diet Spoon. "Eat what you can, with me in your hand and the weight will fall, without will at all"

(Hope this made you laugh) :)

spoon

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