DIVERSITY

Posted on July 07
When you think back to what you ate yesterday, three weeks ago or even last year, how different is the food on your plate? Some people naturally include a wide range of diverse food when choosing their meals, but for many of us, it is easy to fall into a trap of eating the same foods day in and day out.
Did you know that by not consuming a diverse range of foods, you are missing out on the potential for many health benefits? Despite the promotion of superfoods, no single food contains all the necessary nutrients for overall health and wellness. By eating a balanced diet filled with a wide range of foods (colors), it is easy to ensure that you consume adequate amounts of all essential nutrients. This not only reduces the risk of nutritional deficiencies; it also provides numerous health benefits.
 
1. Diversity = Stability
2. Healthy Gut Microbiome
3. Lower Risk of Food Allergy and Intolerance
4. Nutrition Synergy
5. Reduced Inflammation
6. Combat Oxidative Stress
color
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Functional Nutrition: 101

Posted on July 01
Among the many buzz words in nutrition you’ve probably heard about is “functional nutrition.” You may have wondered, “what is it?” ans "how is it different from regular nutrition?”

Functional nutrition has been growing in popularity over the past few years. Understanding what it is and who can practice it can be confusing.

In this month’s article, you’ll learn about what functional nutrition is and how it can help you achieve your health goals.
Functional Nutrition 101

In traditional medicine, and often in nutrition, the body is broken apart based on the body’s systems. Treatment is based on the symptoms or disease of the individual system rather than looking at how the systems work together.

In traditional medicine, you see a specialist based on the system in the body that is not working right or experiencing a disease. The list below is of some of the body’s systems and the medical area that covers them:
  • Skeletal and muscular: orthopedic doctor
  • Nerves: neurologist
  • Endocrine: endocrinologist
  • Cardiovascular: cardiovascular doctor
  • Lymphatic: venous and lymphatic doctor
  • Respiratory: pulmonologist
  • Digestive: gastrointestinal doctor
  • Urinary: urologist

Functional nutrition takes a different approach. It looks at the whole person, the body’s systems, and any symptoms or diseases being experienced. These are looked at as a whole before making recommendations about changes in what you’re eating.

A functional nutrition practitioner not only looks at your body and health, they may also look at your:
  • Environment
  • Sleep
  • Exercise
  • Toxin exposure
  • Anything else that may affect your health

Functional nutrition also looks for the root causes of disease rather than treating the symptoms. Often, figuring out what is going on in your body is like playing whack-a-mole. This is where functional medicine and functional nutrition can really help.  When using a holistic approach, the practitioner may be able to identify the root cause(s) of the symptoms and diseases you’re experiencing.

A functional nutrition practitioner will work with you on ways to optimize your health based on your unique situation and needs. For example, if you have diabetes, a functional nutritionist will not only look at your blood sugar and A1C levels, they’ll also talk with you about:
  • How well you’re sleeping
  • Your stress levels
  • What kind of exercise you’re doing

They will then take all of this information, and more, and work with you to develop a plan to improve your blood sugar and A1C levels. You should also experience improvements in your sleep, stress, and exercise you enjoy.

At its best, functional nutrition practitioners use science-informed approaches and testing to enhance their client’s health. However, some practitioners use approaches that are not backed by science. That’s why it’s important to find a dietitian who is trained in and has experience treating clients with functional nutrition
Setting the Foundation: Sleep
 
 
 
 

Looking at sleep is an important part of functional nutrition. Many practitioners believe that sleep forms the foundation of your health. If you aren’t sleeping well, then many other aspects of your health may suffer.

After the time change and having light later in the evenings you may have difficulty winding down to sleep. Here are 5 ideas to help you get some shut-eye.
  1. An hour before going to sleep, start your wind-down routine. Consider sipping a cup of tea, while reading or journaling for a bit. Be ready to turn the light off at your designated time to go to sleep.
  2. At least one hour before bedtime, get away from screens - TV, phone, tablets, etc. If you use them for reading set them to dark mode or have a blue light filter on them (there are physical filters or apps or your device may have a blue light blocking mode). The blue light from screens interferes with your ability to sleep.
  3. Darken your bedroom using blackout curtains. If you can’t get it dark, consider using a sleep mask.
  4. Meditate or do some deep breathing five to ten minutes before turning out the lights. This will help both your body and mind relax.
  5. Turn out the light promptly at the time you want to go to sleep. Seems simple, and is also sometimes hard. Make and keep the commitment to yourself to go “lights out” at a certain time each night.
Featured Recipe
Tuna and White Bean Salad

Ingredient:
  • 2 cups mixed greens, stemmed
  • 1 medium cucumber, sliced
  • ½ red onion, sliced
  • ½ cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
  • 1 6-ounce cans of tuna packed in water, drained
  • 1 - 15 ounces can white beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4 eggs, large, hard-boiled, sliced into wedges
  • 1/4 cup black olives
  • Fresh ground black pepper (as needed)

For Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
  • 2 tablespoons shallot, minced
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons lemon, zest of preserved lemon peel, minced

For the lemon vinaigrette: Purée shallot, oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, and honey in a blender until smooth. Place in a bowl and add the lemon zest and preserved lemon; mix to combine.

Directions
In a bowl, add mixed greens, cucumbers, red onions, tomatoes, tuna, white beans, eggs, and olives. Season with black pepper. Drizzle with vinaigrette and serve.
 
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Naturally Sweet Summer

Posted on June 01
Summer! Is there a favorite summertime fruit or vegetable you look forward to each year?

When thinking about sweets and produce, does your mind automatically go to fruit?? While summertime fruits are plentiful, did you know that some vegetables are also sweet?

In this month’s articles, you’ll learn about including sweet fruits and vegetables on your plate.
Naturally Sweet Summer

Bell Peppers: Do the Different Colors Taste Any Different? - Delishably

Including sweet vegetables in your meals and snacks gives you a burst of flavor and often provides some different textures. Here are some ideas:

Podded Peas: There is a wide variety of podded peas, including sugar snap peas and snow peas. You might think that having “sugar” in the name means the sugar snap peas are high in sugar. In a ¾ cup serving, you only get 3 grams of sugar.

You also get 3 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein. As a bonus, the fiber in sugar snap peas is a prebiotic, which helps feed the bacteria in your microbiome.

Carrots: Bright orange and full of flavor, carrots are known to help your eyes. One cup of carrots has over 300% of your daily Vitamin A needs. Vitamin A helps protect your eyes. They are also high in Vitamin C, which helps your immune system stay strong.

One cup of carrots contains 5 grams of sugar and 3 grams of fiber. (Remember, we’re talking about whole carrots, not carrot juice that has the fiber removed.) The fiber helps slow down digestion, meaning that your blood sugar stays stable.

Jicama: You’ve probably seen this roundish, brown root vegetable in the produce section and thought, “What the heck is that?” When you cut away the rough brown exterior, you’ll discover refreshing and slightly sweet, crisp, white meat.

You might have encountered this vegetable in salads as white, crunchy sticks. It’s easy to prep and include in a salad or enjoy as a snack. One cup of jicama slices has 6 grams of fiber and just 2 grams of sugar. It is also an excellent source of Vitamin C, which helps your immune system.

Bell Peppers: Red, yellow, and green bell peppers are an easy way to add color, crunch, and a little sweetness to a dish or snack.

Using different colored bell peppers also gives you a variety of antioxidants. One cup of bell peppers provides 4 grams of sugar and 2 grams of fiber. They are also rich in Vitamin C, with one cup giving you almost 200% of your daily needs.

When looking for something a little sweet, remember you’ve got more options than fruit and candy. Including more sweet vegetables gives you fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants in amounts you can’t get anywhere else. Try adding some of these to your pate and let me know what you think!
7 Ways to Sweeten Up Your Summer





 

1. Start the day with a berry smoothie! Add a scoop of protein powder and flaxseed for an extra nutritional boost. Blend blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and your choice of milk or a non-dairy alternative.

2. Snack on red bell peppers. Nutrient-rich, high in fiber, and the perfect snack when craving a crunch! Try dipping them in fresh hummus or Greek yogurt for additional protein.

3. Making a salad? Forget the iceberg lettuce and toss together spinach, kale, red cabbage, arugula, and romaine lettuce instead.

4. Add “juicing” to your nutrition regime. Juicing is a quick and convenient way to pack in 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables! Kale, spinach, apples, berries, carrots, cucumbers, and ginger are among the most popular ingredients. They make an excellent juice blend, but they also provide a variety of colors to maximize the nutritional benefits you get from this one drink!

5. Freeze fruit for a sweet treat! Frozen grapes, cherries, and berries make a great snack or after-dinner treat.

6. Make a hearty sandwich. Transform the traditional sandwich into a summer sensation. Add spinach, red bell peppers, tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, shredded carrots, and avocado for a nutritious and delicious meal.

7. Brighten up your plate with a pop of color. Watermelon or kiwi slices added to a meal of grilled chickenand steamed broccoli can do wonders for the overall appearance and presentation.
Featured Recipe
Sweet Summer Splash!
 
 
 
 


It’s no secret that staying hydrated is essential, especially during the hot summer months. Here are some easy steps to give your water some flavor without unnatural additives.

Step 1: Fill a pitcher or water bottle with water.

Step 2: Infuse with a few fresh slices of fruit such as cucumber, watermelon, lemon, lime, or berries. Make sure to wash the produce before adding it to the water.

Step 3: Enhance the flavor with fresh herbs such as mint, rosemary or basil.

Step 4: Enjoy!

A few combos that are sure to make a splash include:

  • Cucumber + Mint
  • Strawberry + Lime
  • Strawberry + Basil
  • Raspberry + Mint
  • Grapefruit + Rosemary
  • Watermelon + Mint
  • Lemon + Lime


 

You may find after the first day the flavor starts to diminish. You can change it daily or, for cucumber water, it usually holds flavor for about three days.

Fresh tip: Change water every 2 - 3 days!

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Blue Cheese Deviled Eggs

Posted on May 31

Looking for a new twist on an old classic for your BBQ this sumer? Try these deviled eggs.....

Ingredients:

  • 1 dozen hard boiled eggs, peeled
  • ¼ cup mayo
  • 3 tablespoons chunky blue cheese dressing
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons buffalo sauce (depending on how spicy you like it)
  • 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Crumbled blue cheese, for garnish
  • Chopped celery leaves, for garnish

 

Instructions:

Halve each boiled egg. Place the whites on a platter and place the yolks in a food processor. Process the yolks until they look like coarse sand, then transfer to a mixing bowl (you can also mash the yolks with a fork if you don’t have a food processor).

Combine the egg yolks with mayo, blue cheese dressing, buffalo sauce and chopped celery. Season with salt and pepper and stir again.

Scoop the yolk mixture into a piping bag (or resealable sandwich bag) and pipe into each egg white. Garnish with crumbled blue cheese and chopped celery leaves. Serve immediately or keep cold until ready to serve.

eggs

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Convenience!

Posted on May 12
I love to make spaghetti squash, but it is time consuming. I saw this at the store recently and bought it. I cooked as directed in the microwave but then sauteed garlic in grass fed butter in a skillet and tossed the squash in with salt, pepper and a touch of cayenne. I added left over chicken and it was so good and easy!
 
Keep an eye out for frozen vegetables when your are limited with time.
 
I ate the whole bag for only 14 grams of net carbs!
GUEST 19afcc76-227f-4300-94b9-20d7ee4a8450
 
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Eggcellent Eggs

Posted on May 02
It seems like eggs have been in the headlines for years. One story will tell you eggs are the new superfood. And, the next will tell you to avoid them at all costs. Information about eggs is everywhere-with all of this information also comes some confusion.

Are eggs healthy to eat? How much? How often? What type is best to buy? What does the label mean? This newsletter edition answers those burning questions you have about eggs.

Have an eggcellent day!

The Good Egg


According to the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) results, eggs are an affordable, accessible, nutrient-rich source of high-quality protein that can be eaten as part of a healthful diet. One large egg provides varying amounts of 21 essential vitamins and minerals, high-quality protein, and the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin.

Here is the complete nutrition breakdown:

Power of the Egg.
Despite the yolk being made out as a villain for years, it is the most nutritious part of the egg. The egg yolk contains half of the protein and contains higher amounts of vitamins A, D, E, K, B9, and B12 than the white. The yolks also contain more iron, phosphorous, calcium, selenium, zinc, copper, manganese, and choline than the white.

Whole eggs are a nutrition powerhouse and a valuable source of many important nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

How Much and How Often Should You Eat Eggs?
You may be wondering about how eggs can be nutrition powerhouses since they contain cholesterol. On average, one large egg contains about 186 mg of cholesterol - all of it in the yolk.

The American Heart Association used to recommend no more than 300 milligrams a day of dietary cholesterol. We now understand that for most people, eating cholesterol does not raise cholesterol (hyperlipidemia). There is a very small percent of the population that is sensitive to dietary cholesterol.
Decoding the Egg Label
 
 
 
 

Gone are the days of just buying a dozen eggs. Now when you enter the grocery store the egg buying options are endless...and the variety of cartons and package styles is confusing. Here is the lowdown on the most common labeling terminology:

Certified Organic: Organic eggs are from hens that only eat feed certified organic-without most synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. Hens must be cage-free and free to roam. The use of antibiotics and growth hormones is not allowed. It’s important to note, that all eggs, organic or not,  are hormone free.

Pasture-raised: “Pasture-raised” or “pastured” means the animal spent some time outdoors, feeding on grass, insects, and worms. Smaller farms and family-owned farms usually do pasture-raised eggs, however, there is also still no government regulation for this label considering how long those periods are.

Cage-free: The birds are not raised in cages, but are still subject to industrial farming techniques. The label gives no indication of any other living conditions.

Free-range eggs: Produced conventionally and industrially, but are exposed to outdoors for some part of their day. The time period is not regulated or monitored by the government and can be as little as one minute per day.

Barn Roaming: This is used to more accurately describe the source of eggs laid by hens that can not roam freely but are confined to a barn instead of a more restrictive cage.

Pasture-Raised: Each hen must be placed on a pasture, with at least 108 square feet of pasture, for at least six hours each day. The pasture must be covered mainly with living vegetation.

Grass-fed: Grass-fed means the chicken's primary source of food is grass or forage, not grain. There are no government standards for this label.

Omega 3 eggs: Generally these hens are given omega-3 food sources (e.g. flaxseed) in their diet in order to increase the omega-3 content in the egg. They are still subject to industrial farming techniques.

No added antibiotics: Hens were not given antibiotics in their feed or water.

Hormone-free: This label appears on some packages as a marketing tool since no lying hens are given hormones.

Vegetarian-fed: The hens were fed a vegetarian diet which is controversial since chickens are not naturally vegetarian. They normally eat an omnivore diet which is a mix of produce, grains, worms, snails, slugs, and insects.

Want more info including label icons you might see on egg cartons? Visit www.aeb.org/retail/defining-egg-types-labels to download a fact sheet.
Featured Recipe
Baked Egg & Tomato Cup

 

  • Oil for pan
  • 12 slices of nitrate-free ham
  • 12 large eggs
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400º and grease a 12-cup muffin with oil. Line each cup with a slice of ham. Crack an egg into each ham cup, add fresh tomato slices, and season with salt and pepper.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on how runny you like your yolks. Garnish with parsley and serve.

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Change ...

Posted on April 19
One of the hardest dietary changes I ever had to make was admitting to myself that gluten was indeed wrecking my health.
 
I, like many, was trained to believe you need grains for fiber and to be healthy. At first, trying to stop eating most grains was like asking myself not to breathe. I was not happy through this transition as I understand dietary habits are very difficult to change.
 
I literally sat down and wrote out all of the of the issues gluten cause me (runny nose, itchy skin, bloating, irregularity and ANXIETY) and it became clear the bad outweighed the good. So over time as my gut healed so did my physical and mental health.
 
I do slip up once in awhile, but the symptoms come raging back to remind me!
 
Like anything in life, practice and patience are a must in order for change to become a new routine.
 
c
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Suja .... Uber Greens

Posted on April 14
We all know juicing has many health benefits but can also be loaded with sugar. Some green juices on the market have 75 grams of sugar per bottle.
 
If you are not ready to start juicing yourself, this is a great alternative for a low sugar green juice.
 
suja
 
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5 WAYS TO CLEAN UP YOUR WELLNESS ROUTINE

Posted on April 04
When life seems chaotic, getting into a routine can help tame the chaos and anxiety you feel. Routines are known to:
  • Reduce stress
  • Help you sleep better
  • Prioritize what's important to you
  • Open up mental space
I know you may bristle at having to stick to a schedule. However, the good news is that it is your routine! You get to make it work for you.

A wellness routine is tailored to you and your schedule and helps you work towards the life you want to create. I know that sounds like a tall order!

Don't worry, though. I've got you covered with five simple steps to help you spring clean your wellness routine, so the rest of 2022 will work better for you.

5 Ways to Clean Up Your Wellness Routine

Step 1: Decide what's important to you
Starting with an idea of what you'd like to create will help you then backfill the steps to get there. Spend no more than 5 minutes thinking about how you'd like your day to go from when you get up to when you go to bed. Are there tasks or activities that you want to do each day? Maybe you want a few minutes with your kids or pet. Or, you want time to read in the evenings. Take a few notes you can refer back to later.

Step 2: Schedule the essential things.
Take a look at a blank weekly calendar and decide where, ideally, you want to put those essential things you identified in step one. Include bedtime and what you need to do to shut down and get to bed on time.

Step 3: Start with one thing.
From all the things you've written on your ideal schedule, what is one thing you can start including in your plan this week? Starting small, with just one thing, can make getting it done easier. Schedule that one thing on your calendar.

Step 4: Honor your commitment to yourself.
When the time comes for the thing you scheduled, honor that commitment you made to yourself. It can be so easy to let it slide, decide you're too busy, or choose to do it next week. However, ask yourself what your future self will say about not doing what you promised yourself you'd do.

Step 5: Add in more
As the first thing you've added into your schedule becomes automatic, you can add another, then another, until you've got them all in your week.

Keeping it Real
This routine is one to help you get to a life where you balance your wellness with all of the other commitments you've got. There are times when your routine won't work. That is OK! When life gets in the way, commit to getting back on track as soon as you can.

There will be times when you need to adjust your routine. That's OK, too! You may start training for and running marathons. As times change, you may only have time for 5Ks or even decide you'll switch to walking. You can change the activities as your life changes so that your wellness routine always fits your life.
6 Things Worth Scheduling this Spring

Here are six ideas for things to include in your schedule while you're spring cleaning your wellness routine:
  1. Movement: How can you move throughout your day? Can you plan a 10-minute walk in the morning and afternoon? Walking several times through the day is more beneficial than having a one-hour workout than sitting the rest of the day.
  2. More Veggies: How can you add one or two vegetables to meals? Are there vegetables in season that you've been eagerly awaiting? If you find choosing and preparing vegetables a challenge, pick up Field Guide to Produce: How to Identify, Select, and Prepare Virtually Every Fruit and Vegetable at the Market. You'll know how to choose and prepare all that lovely produce at the market with it in hand.
  3. Meatless Monday: Commit to giving Meatless Monday a try. Meatless Monday is just that - a day where you don't include meat in your meals. The good news is that you get to decide what that means. Do you want all meals meatless or only dinner? Is this a day to focus on eating cold water fish or trying lentils? Whatever you choose is perfect!
  4. Gratitude: Taking a couple of minutes to acknowledge things you're grateful for has improved mood, increased happiness, and improved self-esteem. You can mentally note three things you're thankful for, start a gratitude journal, and note them in the morning or before going to bed.
  5. Personal Check-In: Rather than worrying about the future or the past, focus on what's happening at the moment. What are you feeling, hearing, seeing, smelling, touching? Taking time to slow down and tune in to the moment can help with depression, anxiety, and stress. To help you remember to do this, set the alarm once or twice a day and then honor the notice when it goes off.
  6. White space: Your calendar does not have to (actually should not) be filled with appointments, and "to-dos;" make sure you have open space to slow down and enjoy life!
Featured Recipe
Grain-Free Focaccia




This delicious focaccia is packed with flavor-without the grains! Make it in minutes with Bob Red Mill’s Grain-Free Flatbread Mix and top with garlic, red pepper flakes, parsley and olive oil.

Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 1 package Grain Free Flatbread Mix
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ cup olive oil, plus additional for brushing
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes
  • ¼ tsp coarse kosher salt
  • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley


Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush oil on the inside of a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan (or an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan for sandwiches).

Combine flatbread mix, eggs, ¼ cup olive oil, and water and mix thoroughly. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Scrape dough into the prepared pan and spread to fill using lightly wet or oiled hands. Use fingertips to generously dimple the top of the dough. Gently brush with olive oil, then sprinkle evenly with garlic, red pepper flakes and salt, pressing the toppings into the dough. Top with chopped parsley.

Bake until golden brown, 18–20 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately dab the top with additional olive oil. Let cool at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving (cool completely if making sandwiches).

Per serving: 190 calories, 11 grams fat, 280 mg sodium, 16 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 5 grams protein

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In honor of Saint Patrick's Day - Let's Eat Green!

Posted on March 17
The color green is associated with heart and lung health.
 
Green also helps to cleanse the liver and detox!
 
So after your celebrations today, you may want to eat some green produce! ????
green foods
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