Drop the Guilt From Your Guilty Pleasures

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Why You Don’t Need to Feel Guilty for Not Restricting Your Diet

Are you frustrated with all the headlines warning you to NEVER eat certain foods if you want to have a flat tummy? There are new articles informing us daily about the dangers of eating bread, pasta, bananas and orange juice, to name just a few.

While overindulging in any of these foods is not the best way to create a lean, healthy body, avoiding them altogether may do more harm than good.

– See more at: http://fitlife.tv/why-you-dont-need-to-feel-guilty-for-not-restricting-your-diet-original/#sthash.HjIiDISg.dpuf

http://fitlife.tv/why-you-dont-need-to-feel-guilty-for-not-restricting-your-diet-original/

My Take On the Whole Lemon Water Trend

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If you haven’t seen at least one article about the amazing results you’ll get from starting your day with warm lemon water in your Facebook news feed, you may be living under a rock. The citrusy wonder drink is the biggest thing to have hit the wellness community since quinoa.

Most articles will tell you that drinking warm lemon water will:

Yada, yada, yada…

– See more at: http://fitlife.tv/the-start-to-your-morning-routine-you-really-need_original/#sthash.xSnsJvuy.dpuf

Playing Catch Up

Hey guys! Its been a while. I’ve been super busy with coaching, starting an online business course, being a mom to my two boys and working as a contributing writer for fitlife.tv.

I’m super excited about that last one. Writing for fitlife.tv has given me the chance to share my knowledge and experience with even more people that are trying to get healthy. fitlife.tv is a fantastic resource for anyone interested in health and fitness. Here are the articles of mine that have been published so far. I will share them here in the future, so you can stay up to date with what I’m doing.

http://tinyurl.com/lr86aew –How To Reduce Inflammation Using Foods You Already Have In Your Kitchen

http://tinyurl.com/ommlhcg –Orthorexia: The Unhealthy Obsession With Health

http://tinyurl.com/qhcrpkn –Why Chocolate Is The Perfect Self-Love Indulgence And Why You Should Enjoy It More Often

I also just finished up a Week of Chocolate on my Enlightened Nourishment facebook page. If you haven’t like my page yet, you’ll want to today.

See you soon! Xoxo

Cleansing is for Stridex and Scrubbing Bubbles.

When I was in my 20’s I was deep in to the world of clean eating and needing to be as healthy as possible. I wanted to do everything right, be Super Health Girl. I soaked up the knowledge with such gusto and tried on new dietary theories to see which one would fit me best. At the time I did well as a vegetarian and felt pretty darn good. Unfortunately there are many in that world that believe that no matter what you do, you will never be really healthy unless you detoxify your body at least twice a year. Once in the spring and once in the fall. When I lived in San Diego, colonics were the thing. Everybody was getting colonics. Some people even shot coffee up their bum to get the job done. I never jumped on the colonic train. I think my caboose thanks me. I did spend hundreds of dollars on supplements, powders, a juicer and loads of produce to cleanse myself of all the evils that were supposedly built up in my colon, liver and gallbladder. I can’t say that my organs got much cleaner since I was already eating incredibly well compared to my peers, but my wallet sure got cleaned out.

Now that I am a health coach I am again surrounded by those that feel it imperative to cleanse the body regularly in order to obtain perfect health. I am not one of those coaches. I get asked quite often if I recommend any particular cleanses to my clients, friends or family. My answer is always no. I do recommend elimination diets to pinpoint any possible food allergies, but never a cleanse.

Our bodies on their own are really quite impressive in their ability to detoxify daily. Yes, daily. Every time we sweat, breathe, urinate, defecate, cry or (if you are a woman) menstruate, we are cleansing. Therefore if we are eating well, drinking water and exercising, there is no need to cleanse. I’m fully aware that many will argue with me that this is not enough and that there are horrible toxins infesting our bodies. They will say that without detox cleanses we will get sicker and sicker. That’s fine, that’s their opinion.

Here’s my opinion. If you eat terribly all year long and then suddenly decide to do a 3 day juice cleanse, you are going to be in a world of hurt and most likely do more damage to your body than you had done in the first place. Headaches, hunger, acne and stinky breath are what you have to look forward to most of the time. Yes you might lose a few pounds of water weight (which you will gain back as soon as you start eating again) but unless you are able to continue putting fresh fruits and vegetables in to your body everyday after, you’ve accomplished very little. You gave your digestive tract and jaw a rest for three days, but you also sent your body in to starvation mode which ends up burning muscle instead of fat. Less muscle leads to less calories being burnt and metabolism being lowered. I’m guessing that’s not what you were hoping for when you signed up for that one.

If you already eat clean and exercise regularly, there’s no reason to cleanse. See above paragraph about how awesome our bodies are.

So what do I tell people that ask me about cleanses? I tell them that if you want a clean body start making positive lifestyle changes little by little, every day. Eat a lot more vegetables, more fresh or frozen fruit, real whole grains, enough protein for their body’s needs and drink lots of water. Oh yeah, sweat at least three times a week. If they insist on a liver cleanse, I tell them to drink dandelion tea or have some dandelion greens in their salad. End of story.

To sum up, I haven’t done a cleanse in roughly 10 years and I’m healthier than I’ve ever been. I rarely get sick and my most recent blood work was perfect. I help people get healthy through gradual lifestyle changes and it seems to be working pretty darn well. I’m not writing this to attack other coaches (trying not to anyway), just stating my experience and opinion.

Live well.

Recipes For Staying Healthy and Feeling Better Faster!

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For the final installment in this series I am sharing the recipes I use to keep my family healthy during cold, flu and even allergy season. I try the best I can to avoid using over the counter medications if there is a natural homemade remedy that will work. Mostly though, I use preventative measures to ensure that we get sick less and therefore don’t need as many medicines or trips to the doctor.

Health Juice:

There is no actual juice in this drink but when you call something juice, my kids are sure to want it. I found this recipe on the back of the  Bragg Organic Raw-Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar bottle. They call it Bragg Vinegar Health Drink. My kids ask for it every morning as soon as they get out of bed. They love the flavor and they know it keeps them healthy, so it’s a win win situation. Here’s the recipe below.

1-2 tsp of apple cider vinegar (I actually use 1 Tbsp)

1-2 tsp of local honey (again I use 1 Tbsp to keep it balanced)

8-10 oz room temperature water

Stir together until completely blended and drink once or twice a day!

Elderberry Syrup:

There are many recipes on-line for homemade elderberry syrup and I guess the best way to find the one you like is to just try a few and see which one your family likes. Unfortunately elderberries can be expensive, so make a small batch at first to see if you like it. This is my variation on one I found by Wellness Mama during my own search.

3/4 cup dried organic elderberries

3 1/2 cups water

1 Tbsp powdered ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

4 cloves

1 cup local honey

Bring water, elderberries, ginger, cinnamon and cloves to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer for at least 45 minutes. The contents of the pan should have reduced by almost half. Let the mixture cool. Strain through a strainer in to a tall glass jar. Add the honey and  stir until completely blended. This keeps in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

My kids take one tsp in the morning and one at night to maintain a strong immune system. My husband and I take a Tbsp each day.

Super Duper Tea:

When my oldest is sick with a cold or upset stomach he always asks for Super Duper Tea. It’s a very simple and yummy way to make anyone feel better when they are under the weather.

1-2 bags of chamomile-lavender tea

1 tsp local honey

Heat water in tea kettle til warm, not hot. Pour over tea bag/s and brew for 5 minutes. Stir in honey and enjoy.

For more information on staying healthy year round, check out my previous posts in this series. Have a wonderful and vibrant holiday season!

http://enlightenednourishment.com/2014/10/17/get-well-soon/

http://enlightenednourishment.com/2014/10/20/rock-those-antioxidants/

http://enlightenednourishment.com/2014/10/22/anti-inflammatory-foods-and-respiratory-health/

Anti-inflammatory Foods and Respiratory Health

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A while back I wrote a blog post about inflammation and how to control it naturally with foods and supplements. In the post I touched on the subject of respiratory health and inflammation. Instead of rehashing all of that again for this series on how to stay healthy during cold and flu season, I am providing the link to the earlier post here.

I mainly utilize the contents of my spice cabinet throughout the year to keep my family’s respiratory health in tip top shape. As I mentioned in the earlier post cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, cayenne pepper, turmeric, cumin and cloves are incredible for reducing inflammation in your breathing pathways. I add the spices to the foods and beverages that we consume the most to make sure we have them daily.

Now that I think of it, I wrote another post quite a while ago about the awesomeness of cinnamon and how I use it. The link to that post is here.

So far in this series we’ve covered how a healthy gut leads to a strong immune system, increasing our antioxidant intake and using anti-inflammatory foods to boost you respiratory health.

The last installment will contain recipes I use daily or seasonally to keep my family going strong. Stay tuned!

Rock Those Antioxidants!

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Friday I told you about boosting your immune system through strengthening your digestive tract. Today we are continuing the topic of immunity with antioxidants. What are they and why do we need them to stay healthy?

According to Wikipedia; An antioxidant is a molecule that inhibits the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons or hydrogen from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals. In turn, these radicals can start chain reactions. When the chain reaction occurs in a cell, it can cause damage or death to the cell. Antioxidants terminate these chain reactions by removing free radical intermediates, and inhibit other oxidation reactions. They do this by being oxidized themselves, so antioxidants are often reducing agents such as thiols, ascorbic acid, or polyphenols.

Simply put, antioxidants protect our cells from being destroyed by oxidation. We can’t fight off illness and disease with weak cell structures. Therefore we want to have as many foods that are high in antioxidants in our daily diet as possible to stay healthy. Below I will list the foods highest in antioxidants. The foods marked with an * are the ones I use most.

 

Legumes:

Small red kidney beans

Pinto beans

Nuts*

 

Fruits:    

Elderberries*

Wild blueberries*

Cranberries*

Blueberries

Red delicious apples

Granny smith apples*

Purple, red and green grapes*

 

Vegetables:

Artichokes (cooked)

Kale*

Broccoli*

Red cabbage*

Red beets

Russet potatoes

Red and green bell peppers*

 

Herbs and Spices:

Cloves

Cinnamon*

Oregano*

Thyme

Rosemary

Saffron

Sage*

 

Beverages:

Black and green teas*

Coffee*

Roasted ground coco beans*

 

Please feel free to use this list to stock your kitchen with healthy foods that will keep you feeling zippy, when everyone else is dragging behind. Xoxo

 

 

Get Well Soon!

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Tis the season for mold allergies, head and chest colds and of course the dreaded influenza.

Kids are missing school or being held out of daycare. Adults are missing work and social engagements. We’re all nervous about the spread of dangerous and even deadly viruses. How can we have a better chance of avoiding sickness in the next four to six months? Mostly it’s about self care, awareness of our bodies and utilizing the ingredients that most of us already have in our cabinets and refrigerators at home. In the next few days I’m going to be highlighting some of the top ways that I successfully keep my family healthy when everyone around us is falling ill. I hope to supply you with the knowledge you’ll need to keep you and yours feeling great all year long.

Topic one: Immune Boosters

The best way to minimize your chances of getting sick is to strengthen your immune system. This might seem obvious to some, but I find myself reminding people of the need for a strong immune system almost daily. I’m going to touch on the most effective immune boosters in this post.

Good Digestion Means Good Health

It’s important to know that 80 percent of your immune system is centered in your gut. If your gut is weak, so is your barrier against sickness. In order to strengthen your digestive system, you need to do two things. First you need to pinpoint any food allergies you may have and eliminate those foods from your diet. Second you need to build or rebuild your healthy gut lining with probiotics.

Finally realizing and coming to terms with the fact that my body was rejecting gluten to the point of being sick daily if I even thought about eating it, was a huge turning point for me. It made such a dramatic difference in my ability to ward off allergies, colds and most everything else. Milk, wheat, eggs, nuts and soy are the leading culprits in food allergies and more and more people are realizing that they can’t go on eating whatever they want and still find good health. Food allergies do not effect everyone and they do not effect those who suffer from them equally. The best way to discover if you have a food allergy or not is to eliminate the major triggers from your diet for two weeks. Over the two weeks, take notice of how you are feeling. Is your digestion better? Do you have more energy and mental clarity? Has your psoriasis cleared up a bit? Has your skin cleared up? All of these things and more are signs that you are clearing your system of allergens. If you notice absolutely no change, awesome! You are clear of food allergies or at least the well known ones. If you experience a noticeable difference after two weeks, slowly add each food back into your diet one at a time and see how you feel. This process is simple and very effective. You could also find a good allergist and get tested in the office

After finding out if you have any food allergies, the next step is creating a strong intestinal lining. The best way to do this is with the use of probiotics. You don’t need to take pills for this, but it is much more convenient at the end of the day. You can also add fermented foods into your daily diet to get the same effects. Pickled vegetables, sauerkraut, kimchi, plain yogurt, kefir and kombucha tea are some of the obvious choices in the world of fermentation. Yes, wine is also fermented. :) I personally take a high dose of probiotics in pill form daily to stay healthy. Due to the high salt content of most pickled foods and the effects of dairy on my respiratory system, pills are a much better option for me. It’s a personal choice and I’ll leave that up to you. Maybe a combination of both foods and pills will work for you.

Coming soon: Antioxidants, Anti-inflammatories and recipes

Love what you do, you’ll feel better.

do-what-you-loveOne of the aspects of my coaching that is so important for my clients’ health, is to really look at their work and whether or not it makes them truly happy. Are they just collecting a paycheck and counting the seconds til Friday at 5:00pm? Are they always wishing they could make more money, move up in the company or have a nicer boss that valued their work? Are they binge eating from the vending machine at break time and then rushing home to veg in front of the TV or computer? The majority of us could say yes to all of these questions without hesitation. In today’s economy, we take what we can get, even if we have a first rate education. There is very little job security left in America and we all just do the best we can.

Still, knowing all of this, I vowed that after my kids were in school I would go back to work doing something that made me happy and would help people. It was scary and daunting to even think about. I never graduated from college, so I knew I’d have to go back to school in order to have a real chance at doing the work I wanted to do. Before my kids, I was working in a cancer treatment center as a secretary/receptionist. I had started out as the file clerk and over the years, worked my way up to the front desk. It was rewarding in it’s own way, but mostly it was stressful and depressing. It wasn’t how I wanted to spend the rest of my working days until retirement. There are many wonderful people that make it their life’s work, but it just wasn’t for me. Having a passion for health and nutrition made it easy to know what direction to go in. It took me a while to zone in on health coaching, but once I found it, I knew it was the perfect fit. Guiding clients to better health through nutritional education is what I was put on this earth to do. I light up when I talk about it at a party and my heart speeds up when a client, friend or family member texts me with a random nutrition question. I’m just that into it! That’s why I am so glad that part of what I do is to help people find happiness in their own work.

To clarify, I do not tell all of my clients to go in on Monday and quit their job. Ever. What I do is help them to see how their relationship with their job effects their health. From how stressed out they are, how valued they feel and how it effects their eating to how many times a year they are out sick. Sometimes this leads to them seeking out new employment and sometimes it helps them to see how they can make their current work a healthier place to be. Sometimes it’s can be as simple as a shift in how they view their work and other times they need to make some major changes in their work day to feel more fulfilled.

So today I’d like my readers to ask themselves, “Do I love what I do?”.

Eating Healthy Doesn’t Have to be Scary.

I’ve noticed that many of the nutritional posts floating around Facebook, Twitter (and the internet in general) seem to be based on creating fear in the readers.

“5 Foods to Never Eat For a Flat Stomach”

“5 Negative High Protein Diet Effects”

“Top 10 Worst  GMO Foods for Your GMO Foods List”

“4 Major Health Risks of Drinking Soda”

“Is Your Food Killing You? Super Foods to the Rescue!”

Now, are some of these worth reading? Sure. Are all of these worth reading on the same day during your lunch break? I’m going to say no.

The reason I became a health coach was to educate people about the best ways to become a healthier human being. Teaching people the best ways to boost their immune systems, adopt healthy lifestyle habits and to focus on filling their plates with pure unadulterated nutrients,  has always been my mission. So I feel that bombarding my readers with negative headline after negative headline, is not the best way for me to go about getting my message to the masses. It’s like only reading the crime log or obituaries when you read you daily news. You start to feel that everyone around you is a criminal or dropping like flies. Fear and negativity breeds more fear and negativity, so that eventually you just sort of check out of the game. You throw up your hands and say, “What’s the point?! Everything is bad for me, so I might as well just be eating Cheetos and drinking Mountain Dew with a Red Bull chaser!”. I have heard and read variations on this statement many times in the past few months. Sadly, it has become a common thought pattern.

I know that at some point I have been guilty of spreading some of these articles and memes on my own blog and Facebook pages, for that I am sorry. I have tried very hard to make it my goal to only write and or post positive, yet informative articles for the last few months. When I consider sharing a post, I ask myself a couple questions before I do.

-Is this sending a positive message?

-Is this going to add confusion to an already confusing topic?

-Is this really helping, or spreading fear?

-Do I agree with everything in this article, or just one point?

-Would I say this to a client or loved one?

-Will this turn someone off to the idea of getting healthy?

If I can’t give a solid yes or no answer to any of these questions, I don’t post it.

Also, it’s really, super, duper important to try my hardest to make sure that what I am posting is factual and not just opinion (unless I make it clear that it is in fact just my personal opinion). If I am passing my opinion off as fact, not so great.

My promise to you, dear readers, is to try not be one more voice contributing to the mass confusion in the world of nutrition. I also promise to keep my posts as clear and as positive as possible.

Eat fresh, frozen or preserved produce as often as possible, drink lots of water, sleep as much as you can and exercise lots! Xoxo

 

 

Rosebud

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This afternoon I am introducing my taste buds to sweet rosebud tea. I was given a small sample of this lovely organic tea by my friend Figen at Fig Botanicals in Somerville, NJ. First of all, can I just say, WOW?! The entire first floor of my house smells like I just got a surprise delivery of fresh roses and it’s not even my birthday! Secondly, how did I wait this long to drink rosebud tea?!! I feel like a pretty, pretty princess lounging in her boudoir or a fine lady enjoying a lavish high tea with her high society chums. In reality, I’m listening to ‘Dinosaur Train’ playing in the next room while typing a blog post. Hey, at least I’ve got some awesome tea to drink! I’m actually enjoying it iced today, since it’s so warm and humid.

Not only is sweet rosebud tea sensationally aromatic, it is said to aid in mental clarity. I could sure use that right now with everything I’ve got going on in my life. Couldn’t you?

And the winner is…

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Congratulations to Alyson Jacko, for winning the Pamper Yourself Basket!! Thanks so much to all of my readers for entering my second big giveaway. I truly appreciate all of your comments, questions and support. Of course, a big thank you and shout out to Fig Botanicals for putting together such an amazing prize. I hope that you all find  some simple ways of pampering yourselves this week. Xoxo

Yay, another giveaway!!

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In honor of reaching (and now passing) 100 “likes” on Facebook, I am running another fantastic giveaway! I love my readers and I want to show it with this lovely basket of goodies from Fig Bontanicals in Somerville, NJ. The owner, Figen, has put together a basket of tea, soap, bath tea and salts, body oil, a candle and some dried jasmine flowers to relax and rejuvenate you. The giveaway will start this evening and end at the end of the day Sunday, May 4th.

So, if you like Enlightened Nourishment and relaxation, go to my Facebook page or click on the link below,for a chance to win this awesome gift from me to you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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How to beat inflammation naturally.

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This post is dedicated to one of my Facebook readers, Alyson, that suggested I write about inflammation and foods that help reduce its effect on our bodies.

First of all, there are two kinds of inflammation that take place inside of us. One is acute inflammation which shows up as redness, heat, soreness and swelling. Acute inflammation is your body’s response to harmful stimuli, damaged cells or irritants. It can be easily confused with an infection, but it is actually your body trying to correct the disturbance by flooding the area with blood. It is the way in which we attempt to heal ourselves. The other type of inflammation is called chronic inflammation. It is described as constant healing and destruction of local cells. It may take months or even years for chronic inflammation to take it’s toll on your health, but if chronic inflammation is left unchecked, it leads to a plethora of serious and potentially deadly diseases.

Some diseases and conditions caused by chronic inflammation are:

-Inflammatory Bowel Disease

-Vasculitis

-Sarcoidosis

-Asthma

-Celiac Disease

-Autoimmune Diseases

-Alzheimer’s Disease

-Heart Disease

-Cancer

-Rheumatoid Arthritis

So, how do we reduce inflammation and it’s long term effects? There are many foods and a few supplements that are readily available to most of us.

I’ll start with common spices that you probably already have in your cabinet. Ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, cayenne pepper, black pepper and cloves are all fantastic in reducing inflammation. Try to include them in your cooking daily for noticed improvement. I’m particularly fond of cinnamon, turmeric and ginger when allergy season comes around. Allergies are after all, inflammation caused by your body’s reaction to foreign substances. So, I make sure to add cinnamon to my coffee, yogurt and my kid’s oatmeal and pb&j sandwiches all year long. Although turmeric is bright in color and used in many Indian dishes, the flavor is mild enough, that I use it in many of my favorite dishes. I’ve even added it to smoothies without my kids knowing the difference. Ginger is wonderful for digestive issues as well as sore throat.

Other foods that are wonderful for their anti-inflammatory properties are: Fish, dark leafy greens, nuts (almonds and walnuts), beets, garlic, onion, high quality olive oil, berries and tart cherries. Sounds pretty good, huh? I would say out of all of these foods, fish is my number one pick to fight inflammation. They are high in healthy omega-3 fats that are so vital to your body’s well being. If you truly can’t stomach the smell or taste of fish, you might try fish oil capsules. I recommend a high quality fish oil, such as Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil. They are easy to take and don’t have an aftertaste. If you are vegetarian, but still want a great source of omega-3 fats, I recommend chia seeds. They are high in omega-3, fiber, protein, calcium and iron. You can buy a big bag of them at Costco for a fraction of the regular price! Another incredibly important element to add to your diet to reduce inflammation is WATER. Drinking lots of fresh water everyday is nothing but good for your body.

Vitamins and minerals that are great for reducing inflammation are: Vitamin C (200 mg),Vitamin E (400 IU) and Selenium (200 mcg).

Now for the not so fun part. Foods to avoid or limit: Sugar, alcohol, caffeine, white flour, omega-6 fatty acids (vegetable oils), dairy, MSG and trans fats. For some people, avoiding gluten is also key to reducing inflammation. It has been shown to hugely reduce the symptoms of people suffering from fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and respiratory ailments.

So there you have it, Alyson. I hope this was helpful to you and the rest of my readers. If you have any questions regarding this article, please feel free to ask them here or on my Facebook page.

 

Simple Sweet and Savory Springtime Salad

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I  am so crazy glad that spring is finally here. I’m choosing to celebrate the new season by devouring as many delicious leafy greens and asparagus as I possibly can. I invite you to join me in this salad filled celebration, by sharing this very simple recipe. It takes about 20 minutes to whip up and is far more filling than you’d think. Try it (or a variation on it) this weekend!

 

1 cup- uncooked quinoa

1 cup- beef broth (or chicken or vegetable)

1 cup- water

4 or 5- handfuls of chopped kale

1- handful of fresh young asparagus spears (washed and trimmed and cut in to 2 inch long pieces)

1- apple (any variety chopped in to cubes)

a drizzle of sesame oil

a sprinkling of tamari (soy sauce)

 

Instructions: Cook quinoa as per instructions substituting the broth for one of the cups of water. Should cook up in exactly 15 minutes. While that’s happening, put the chopped kale and asparagus in a large bowl. Add the sesame oil and tamari and lightly massage the greens til they are completely coated. When the quinoa is finished, poor it on top of the veggies and mix so that the kale softens. Lastly add the chopped apple and mix again. That’s it, enjoy!

Loving the Lemon Verbena!

Lemon-Verbena

If you’ve never sipped a lovely cup of lemon verbena tea, here’s a little nudge from your friendly neighborhood health coach. Lemon verbena is well known for it’s amazing sedative properties. It not only helps to encourage relaxation for your mind and spirit, but for your body as well. It does wonders for women suffering from the symptoms of PMS including cramps, indigestion and mood swings (ladies, you know the ones). Lemon verbena leaves are also a blessing if you suffer from chronic digestive distress such as IBS, Celiac Disease and even Crohn’s Disease. It soothes the digestive tract, just as it soothes our stressed out minds. It has a light refreshing lemony flavor which is wonderful in the spring and summer months and you can drink it hot or iced.

<Just like with any herbal tea, if you are pregnant or nursing it is wise to consult with your doctor or midwife before drinking.>

Not Your Average Jersey Diner

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Here’s another post I’ve been meaning to write for a while, but never seemed to have the time. Well, with Spring Break here and no new module to work on, now is the time.

A little while back I was invited to join my friend, her mom and sister for a late lunch. They decided to give me my first (and certainly not last) taste of a unique Jersey diner that they had fallen in love with. I know, unique and diner don’t really seem to go together do they? The Americana Diner in East Windsor, NJ however is just that. Most diners are so cookie cutter with their burgers, salads, soups and huge shiny desserts when you walk in the door. Instead of that over the top dessert case, this is what you see when you are waiting to be seated.

 

Americana

Yep, that’s a display case of fresh fruits and vegetables. Not kidding. I all but rubbed my eyes in disbelief. It is the perfect introduction to this amazing eatery. The menu boasts grass-fed beef, free range chicken and locally sourced produce when available. There are so many healthy options to add to your meal that if there wasn’t a sign outside saying it was a diner, you’d never believe it. From roasted beet salad to cauliflower mac and cheese for the kids. I had a the Napa Valley Burger without a bun and a side of Garlic Mushrooms in Truffle Oil. Though I only had water with my meal, there are fresh squeezed juices available. Oh yes, for the non-gluten intolerant, there is a fresh baked loaf of bread and real butter delivered to the table to start the meal. It’s really quite lovely.

The bottom line is that this is definitely a place that I would recommend to my clients as a healthy dining out option. So please, if you are from New Jersey or planning a trip here in the future, make time to enjoy a refreshingly unique meal at The Americana Diner. You won’t regret it.

 

Homemade Pink Limeade

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I always seem to stumble upon nummy, refreshing drinks when I least expect it. This was a total stumble upon moment.

About a week or two ago (I’ve been thinking of posting this for a while, but lost track of time.), I was making my morning cup of hot water with lime juice and I took a little detour. The first odd turn was deciding to pour the hot water into a tall mason jar (to make it more portable) instead of my usual coffee mug. After adding the lime juice, I of course realized that the glass jar would be WAY to hot to handle, so I decided to add a couple handfuls of frozen cranberries to try to cool it off a bit. As I stirred and watched the pretty little red ribbons of color snake their way down the glass, I knew there was only one thing to do. So, I added about a teaspoon of maple syrup and Voila! Homemade pink limeade! Yes, I had to let it cool for a while before I could enjoy it, but it was worth the wait. What a great springtime refresher!

Woot! I Made It!!

FinishLine

 

Well folks, I made it to the end of my March Challenge! At the beginning of the month, it definitely felt like a huge undertaking. For those of you that are just tuning in, I challenged myself to exercise in some way every day for the entire month of March. I started off with a very regimented schedule that pretty much flew out the window after the first week. Even though the schedule didn’t stick, the exercise did. For that I am very proud. As I stated at the beginning of the month, I have never been a physically fit person. I eat better than the majority of people I know, but move much less. So, I decided that if I was going to be an effective health coach and expect my clients to get their bodies moving daily, I needed to walk the talk.

After 31 days of making a conscious effort to be active everyday, I feel pretty great. The chronic back pain that I have dealt with for the past 5 years only bothered me twice this month. That’s a record. I feel much more in tune with my body now, since I made a point to think about what my body needed every day. There were of course days that I just did not want to get off the couch, but I did it anyway. Sometimes it kind of sucked, but mostly it made me feel better afterward. One of the coolest outcomes of this challenge is that I no longer ask my husband to carry the clothes hamper up and down the stairs for me in fear that if I do it myself, I’ll throw my back out. Yay for me!! Yay for him too, I guess. Oh yeah, I’ve got myself a pretty buff husband now too. He was my partner in this challenge and so he has been fine tuning his upper body and midsection this month. :)

So, mission accomplished. Today is the last day of the challenge and I got my exercise in for the day with a walk this morning. I think I’ll probably do some strength training tonight as well. But, I’m not ready to just hang up the resistance bands after tonight. I’m in this for the long haul now and couldn’t be prouder or happier about it. I know things will only get easier as the weather gets warmer and I can do more outside. I feel like this is going to be a great challenge to give my clients too, as it has had such a positive impact on my life. Hey, If I can do it, anyone can!