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Thursday, September 29, 2011

10 Rules for Living a Healthy Life

When Dr. Mark Hyman presented at the nutrition conference I just attended in NYC he mentioned one topic that I had to share. He spoke about the *10 rules for living a healthy life*, these rules are simple and easy to incorporate with a little planning. Print these rules out and hang them on your frig for extra motivation!


1. Eat foods without labels (such a fruits and veggies)
2. Choose foods with less than 5 ingredients and make sure each ingredient is recognizable
3. Avoid white powders (sugar, flour, salt etc)
4. Avoid high fructose corn syrup
5. Avoid shortening and refined oils (such as vegetable oils and Crisco)
6. Avoid food additives
7. Avoid artificial sweeteners
8 Eat food grown on a farm (fruits, vegs, whole grains etc) and not "made" in a plant (processed foods)
9. Do not drink your calories
10. Do not eat in bed or the car or your desk. Take time for yourself and focus on the food you are eating at a table.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

What is a health coach?


I get asked all the time "What is Healthy Addiction?" "What is a health coach?". It seems that people grasp the idea of a dietitian, nutritionist and other coaches, but when it comes to health coach people are stumped. Are you tired of being sick and tired? Is your life full of stress and causing you to lack energy? Do you crave sugar? As your health coach I will guide you to find the food and lifestyle choices that best support you. I will also help you to make gradual, lifelong changes that enable you to reach your current and future health goals.

Visit my website for more information on if health coaching is right for you and also what benefits you can expect! I mean its all about results right?

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Buy a bottle- Save a bee!

I met this company at the Natural Products Expo that I attended last weekend and they had me from "save a bee". As you remember I posted a blog a while back about the vanishing bee population and it is a scary thing as bees pollinate over 1/3 of the foods that we eat! One of my absolute favorite things about this product is that its tea with a tablespoon of honey, thats it, there are no refined or artifical sweeteners! I tried the lemon ginger and its fantastic!!! For every bottle you buy, Honey Drop donates proceeds to local beekeepers across the country to help build new hives, increase awareness, and fight against CCD.

Look for this product in your local health food stores.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Ingredients
•1 1/2c (or 1 can) pumpkin puree

•1c organic milk* (can substitute almond, soy, coconut or silken tofu)
•1c crushed ice
•1 tsp pure vanilla extract
•1 tsp pumpkin spice
•agave nectar to taste

Preparation
Blend ingredients together. Enjoy!

Optional alterations
•throw a handful of toasted pecans into the blender
•use vanilla yogurt, ice-cream, or a frozen banana for added creaminess
•top with your favorite organic whipped cream
•replace the agave nectar with ginger jam or maple syrup
•serve with a sprinkle of homemade granola, a graham cracker, or a ginger snap cookie

Source: Phenomenal Woman

Friday, September 23, 2011

Cake Batter Cashew Butter


I just made this recipe from edible perspective and its great! Not too mention such a cute hostess gift!
• 2c raw cashews
• 1/4-1/3t fine grain sea salt
• 1/2T vanilla extract
• 1/2t almond extract
• 1T sucanat
• 2T sprinkles

1. Preheat your oven to 250*.
2. Roast cashews on a pan for about 30min, turning 1-2x until lightly golden brown.
3. Let cool 5-10min and pour into your food processor.
4. Turn on + let process until butter smooth. You will need to scrape down the bowl numerous times before it butterizes. It takes about 8-12min to smooth out.
5. Once smooth, add in salt, vanilla, almond, and sucanat.
6. Process again until smooth, scraping the bowl as necessary. ~2-4min.
7. Empty into a bowl and place in the fridge for 15-30min, until room temp or slightly cool.
8. Stir in sprinkles + pour into a jar.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Nu Val

Nu Val is coming to a grocery store new you! This new nutrition ranking system helps shoppers easily determine how much nutrition they are getting or are not getting from their food/drink choices. We all know we need to eat better but that's easier said than done. We are bombarded by "nutrition claims", "health claims", marketing tactics etc, so Nu Val has arrived to help us sort through the clutter. This scientific system is objective, reliable and simple guidance to nutritious foods. The food is scored on 1-100 which allows us to compare products and enjoy our food choices while shifting towards higher scored items = more nutritious. (FINALLY a simple way to choose the healthiest food for ourselves and our loved ones)

Check out their website to see the values of your favorite foods.... http://www.nuval.com  

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Raw Revolution

Many of us don't have time to make a homemade granola bars all the time, so here is a great on the go substitute. Raw Revolution organic live food bars are wonderful and can be found in many chain grocery store chains. Eating raw food can increase energy and prevent fatigue. They are also rich in enzymes, vitamins and minerals that allows your body to easily digest the food. Since the raw foods have their own enzymes it allows your internal digestive enzymes to focus on other bodily functions, including metabolism and energy production.


Here is also a quick easy raw granola bar recipe that will be a sure hit with friends and family! 2 cups of raw cashews crushed in a food processor. Then add 2 cups of pitted dates, 2 tsp of cinnamon and 1/3 cup of dried apples to the food processor and mix for a few mins. Press into an 8x12 cookie sheet lined with foil & place in frig for 45 mins. Cut into 12 bars & wrap individually with saran wrap & place back in the frig or freezer until you are ready to eat. **Feel free to subsitute the apples with fruit of your choice

Monday, September 19, 2011

10 Rules to Eating Healthy for Life- Dr. Mark Hyman

10 Rules to Eating Healthy for Life
  1. Eat foods without labels (ex: Apples, Carrots, Spinach etc)
  2. Choose foods that have less than 5 ingredients and make sure you recognize each of them
  3. Avoid white powders (flour, sugar, salt )
  4. Avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup
  5. Avoid shortening and refined oils
  6. Avoid food additives
  7. Avoid artificial sweeteners (splenda, sweet and low, equal)
  8. Eat food grown on a farm not in a manufacturing plant (1000 calories of Kale is very different than 1000 calories of Coke)
  9. Don't drink your calories
  10. Start your day with protein

Friday, September 16, 2011

Adding Flowers to your meal

Flowers are such a beautiful way to garnish a plate! You can even add some to salads or freeze them in an ice cube to add a touch of elegance to your next glass of water.

Here is a great article from Dr. Weil about which flowers are safe to eat http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400990/What-Flowers-Are-Safe-to-Eat.html

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Why should you eat a protein with a carbohydrate?

I get this question a lot working with clients "Why should you eat a protein with a carbohydrate?"

Since we are overwhelmed with dietary do's and don'ts I wanted to help to simply clarify this question since most of us have heard about this theory one place or another.

As a health coach I truly believe each of us are different and digest foods differently, but it is helpful to understand how we break down and metabolize what we eat.  Eating protein helps us stay satisfied throughout the day and when we eat this along with a carbohydrate it helps slow down the rate our body digests carbohydrates. This is a big benefit since we know when we eat carbs our body breaks them down to blood sugar or glucose, and we want to avoid that blood sugar spike that comes after eating say a piece of fruit like an apple. So when you eat an apple combined with a protein such as almonds your blood sugar rises more slowly and gently so you stay full longer then eating the apple alone.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Ginger


Ginger Benefits

Ginger has been used effectively for gastrointestinal problems as major as colitis and as minor as motion sickness. It stimulates good digestion. It helps alleviate congestion and minimizes mucous, even helping asthmatics. Various ginger extracts have been shown to improve cardiovascular health and circulation.

It is also an excellent natural anti-inflammatory. More naturopaths and even MDs are picking up on the fact that daily ginger consumption helps sooth daily arthritis pain as well other chronic aches and pains. Even brain inflammation is sometimes handled or alleviated with ginger.

How to Use Ginger
Since ginger extracts have so many powerful mainstream medical applications as implied above, your daily or frequent use of ginger roots will certainly provide considerable health benefits as well.

Powdered ginger capsules are handy to have on hand. But either juicing or brewing as a tea from fresh ginger roots are the best ways to use ginger. Make sure the ginger roots you purchase are crisp with smooth outer skins. Avoid the moist, wrinkled roots.

A traditional method is to first skin the roots, then cut several long thin slices that can be placed into a pot of pure water. The more ginger slices the better. Too strong is easily thinned down with added water. Too weak is almost useless as a tonic or remedy.

After bringing the pot to a boil, bring the heat down and let it simmer for around a half-hour. The pot with water and ginger can remain intact overnight for additional steeping. Go ahead and have a cup, but pour the rest into a glass container to refrigerate.

If the tea is strong enough, you can treat it like a concentrate. Pour some into a cup and add hot water each time you have some. If the taste is slightly offensive, add some raw honey.

If you have a slow speed masticating juicer, you can juice a small (two inch long), freshly peeled piece of thick root as part of whatever juice you like to drink. If you make water kefir, you can add a tablespoon or two of this thick heavy ginger liquid into the fermentation process for every pint of water kefir you brew.



Source for this article include: Natural News

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

"fancy" dessert

I am so sorry I have been MIA the last few days, life is quite busy at the moment (but I wouldn't have it any other way). Plus I did get to sneak in a few nights of horse back riding so that's always a great thing!

I went tailgating this weekend and I had to bring a dish. I was definitely stumped because tailgates usually = unhealthy food options. I decided on 3 desserts that I will share with you over this week, they were a huge hit!!!

This little dessert was super easy to make but had a fancy appearance.

All you need are dried apricots, dark chocolate and pistachios. Melt the dark chocolate using a double boiler then dip the apricots in the chocolate only covering half of the fruit and then roll in crushed pistachios. Place on wax paper and cool in the frig until the chocolate is hardened. Then arrange on a beautiful place and you have the perfect snack or sweet treat your guest will love!

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Love Fall

I woke up this morning and I could feel the cool air, I know in my heart fall is on its way! Fall always feels like a new start for me, maybe its from my childhood days when I was heading back to school. I was that kid who would wait all summer for my school supply list to come in the mail. Now even though I am in the working world this feeling of new, and a fresh start has never left me. Its better than January as I am not a fan of new years resolutions....its fall, my favorite season of all!! (and no that rhyme was not intended. haha)

These are a few of my favorite things that refresh my health and wellness!

 Windows Open
 Hot Cups of Peppermint Tea
 Apple Picking
 Mountain Biking
 Horseback Riding
 Hiking as the leaves turn
 Cute Jackets and Jeans
Pumpkins

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Lettuce-less

So lately I have been on a HUGE Greek salad kick! Its the only thing I crave lately, but I guess that's not a bad thing.  Over the weekend I went to make lunch (Greek salad of course) but I was out of lettuce. I thought why do salads "always" have lettuce? That being said I decided to be a rebel (ha ha) and make a lettuce-less salad, and while I love a crisp fresh lettuce my lettuce-less salad may just be a new favorite.

1 cucumber diced
1/2 container of grape tomatoes; halved
diced red onion
1 oz feta cheese
8 black Olives diced
1 TB Olive dressing that I found at Whole Foods

This is one of many lettuce-less salads you could make.What is your favorite mix?

Friday, September 2, 2011

Vegan Tortilla Soup

Source photo and recipe: Oh She Glows

Don't let the word vegan turn you off, this soup is delicious and extremely filling. Its the perfect transition into fall and will become a staple in our home! Adding these ingredients to your next shopping list is a must :)
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1.5 cups chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bell peppers, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 ear fresh corn
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
3 tbsp ground cumin
One 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 can chopped green chili peppers, drained (optional)
3 cups vegetable broth
2 tbsp chia seeds (optional)
1.5-2 cups cooked black beans (or beans of choice)
salt & pepper & crushed red chili pepper, to taste
Fresh lime juice, to garnish on top
Non-Dairy Cheese (I use Daiya cheese), for sprinkling
Chopped avocado, for garnish
Tortilla sticks (flour tortillas, olive oil, garlic powder, chili powder, to taste)

1. In a large pot over medium to low heat, add the olive oil, onion, and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes. Preheat oven on medium broil setting.
2. Meanwhile, chop the peppers, zucchini, green onion, and remove corn from cob (I take a chef’s knife and slice down the 4 sides). Add the veggies into the pot and sauté for another 5-10 minutes.
3. Add in the crushed tomatoes, cumin, broth, and chia seeds. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Simmer on low-medium heat for 25-30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make your tortilla strips. Slice flour tortillas into 2 inch strips (see below). Place in a small bowl and drizzle with olive oil to coat. Sprinkle on garlic powder and chili powder (to taste) and mix well with hands. Place on a lined baking sheet and broil for up to 3 minutes on medium. Watch very carefully. When golden, remove from oven.
**I added the beans during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
5. After the soup simmers, ladle into bowls, and top with chopped avocado, fresh lime juice, cheese, green onion, and tortilla strips. Serve immediately. Keeps in fridge for up to 5 days or can be frozen for 1 month.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Green Monster

In the past I have attempted making a green monster smoothie but the pieces of spinach left gave the drink a chewy texture compared to the liquid I was hoping for. That being said I went back to my true love my juicer for my morning green juices.

Well yesterday I decided to give green monsters another chance and I am so glad I did, it was *delicious*

I filled my blender 3/4 of the way full with organic baby spinach
1 cup of frozen organic blueberries
1 cup of frozen organic mango
1.5 cups of cold water
.5 cup of unsweetened almond milk
1 TB of chia seeds for an added dose of Omega 3's

Blend together using the liquify button or blend for at least 5 minutes. Feel free to use 2 cups of water instead of almond milk and play with the fruit and veggie combinations. Anything will work!

Now how to sneak some spinach into Jason's next smoothie without him knowing :)
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