As we venture into the holiday season, we will be faced with an abundance of food and drink during family celebrations. Once this period is over, many people will suddenly feel guilt, anxiety and moodiness over their weight gain and perhaps their inevitable New Year's resolutions.
If you have listed "lose weight", "eat healthier", or "exercise more" on your resolutions, your best bet for 2015 is to visit a holistic nutritionist. He/She will help you achieve your goals from the inside out, working extensively on supporting those body systems that need a little TLC to promote that weight loss, or adopt a new, healthy behavior. When your body is optimized internally, your health will shine and you won't need to make such resolutions again!
"Aim for health, and true beauty and weight control will eventually follow." (Eating Alive: Prevention Thru Good Digestion, Dr. John Matsen, N.D., 2013)
Monday, December 22, 2014
Monday, December 15, 2014
Breaking Up With Caffeine
The further into this holistic nutrition course I become, the more I question my daily cup of coffee. Between the course's strong stance that coffee is simply horrific for you and all the other wellness blogs I read stating a little bit won't kill you, I'm really uncertain if caffeine is actually problematic.
Coffee beans grown in sub-par conditions may likely be infested with moulds, bacterias and pesticides, and the processing activities it undergoes to become that beverage we enjoy so much will remove vital nutrients while adding more bad stuff. Coffee grown organically and that which costs more to purchase (due to improved processing techniques) is supposedly better for you (yay, good news as Kickinghorse Coffee is the BEST!).
I've been struggling with sleep issues for months and my inability to stay asleep and acquire at least 7 hours each night has gotten to the point where I am anxious before bed and seriously frustrated with myself most days and nights. I feel like I can barely function most days, my attention span is about 2 minutes for any given task, and my mind is almost constantly in a translucent fog. This is not good for work, let alone my studies on top of that! My ND says my adrenals are stressed, and when they are stressed, sleep is tough to come by. So many factors can cause stress but the one that keeps showing its face in all my research is, you guessed it, caffeine!
So, simply for trial purposes, I have decided to give up caffeine for at least one week to see if I notice any differences in my concentration, my ability to think and my sleep quality. I'm not one of those people who are so attached to coffee that I simply couldn't live without it; however, I do crave it most days, especially at work. Coffee, specifically Starbucks' coffee, has become like a warm blanket for me each morning - it warms me up after breakfast, reducing the discomfort of the office freeze that most women experience each day; it gets me off my butt for a quick 10 minute walk during a day when I don't really have many reasons to leave my seat; and the aroma and taste have become a comfort when I am just looking for some quiet time to relax or read. (This is why I can't imagine I'll give up coffee forever after this week is over but if my sleep is drastically changed, I will consider reducing how often I drink the yummy, yummy stuff!)
My typical coffee is 12 ounces before 10:00 AM so theoretically this should not affect my sleep. Coffee is supposed to have a half life of 7 hours, which means half of its content can stay in your body up to 7 hours after consumption. This would mean I should be free of my relatively small cup by 5:00 PM. However, I wonder if my adrenals are simply overstimulated enough by my stress that they can't handle the caffeine.
On to my experiment and my experiences!
Day 1: I went to bed in decent time Sunday night, technically a day without caffeine, but couldn't fall asleep despite feeling sleepy. I had bought a slice of pie after my dance class and ate that around 1:30 PM. By 2:30 I could not keep my eyes open and at 3:00 I lay down on the couch to read, waking up from a deep sleep by my ringing phone at 5:30. So, perhaps this nap had some affect on bedtime. (And apparently sugar really does make me crash now!)
I felt alright Monday morning when I woke up. I was awake and ready for the gym, and I managed to run almost as long as I'd hoped. My first few hours at work were typically but around 10:00, when my body is used to that caffeine, I suddenly got this awful pounding headache and become quite restless. As the day dragged on, the head-bobbing started and I literally struggled to keep my eyes open from about noon until 4. The bus ride home was much of the same.
When I arrived home, all I could think about was sleeping. Bryan kept asking me questions about dinner and I got frustrated and told him I couldn't think about making food at the moment. I needed to get away and try to calm down. After I drank my Greens+, I felt a slight surge of energy and seemed to wake up a bit. I managed to make and eat dinner, clean up the kitchen, wrap a few presents, and do some studying. By 7:30, though, the head-bobbing had begun. So I went to bed, and read until about 8:30.
Day 2: Wow, I had one of the best sleeps in my life last night! I woke up to go to the bathroom 3 times, which is too bad, but I was in such a deep sleep for most of the night that I woke up feeling awesome this morning. The gym was good, my workout was great, and I felt so much better when I came to work. Again, around 10, I got a slightly less severe pounding headache in the same areas and I started to become a little tired, my eyes drooping on me. The remainder of the day was a slight struggle to stay awake and concentrate on my work. By the time I arrived home, I was feeling quite sleepy. However, I did have a bit more energy than the previous evening and was able to complete a few necessary household tasks. Bedtime came quick again, though, and I seemed to fall asleep quite fast.
Day 3: I felt my sleep quality was quite good except that I woke up at 3:30 AM again! This is one of my problems, one that has bothered me for the past couple of months. When I know my alarm will go off at 5, I tend to be unable to fall back to sleep. If I know I still don't need to get up for a few hours, I can sleep again for a few more hours. Today I had a pretty good run but early morning I began to feel very sleepy again. My eyes just wanted to close! I think that simply sitting at a desk and staring at a screen all day doesn't help, though - I know I feel a lot more alert and happier when I'm moving around. I notice, however, that I feel much less dehydrated this week. Caffeine is a diuretic, and I always wondered if my daily cup was removing too much water from my body.
Day 4: I had another pretty great sleep and woke up feeling quite refreshed. I only had a very minor headache begin around 10 AM, but it lasts merely minutes. I felt fairly energetic until mid-afternoon, but, again, I think this is typical now with an office job. Sitting all day is not only exhausting, it makes me bored and antsy and frustrated! I had to meet Bryan for dinner and decided to walk to Inglewood, which was great once I got going. I seemed perky all evening until our normal bedtime, and enjoyed a rather normal day.
Day 5: Sleep was great! I woke up ready to tackle an Insanity workout. This was my Friday off from work, so I generally have way more energy on these days to begin with. I awoke on schedule, worked out, ran errands, and was able to come home and study for a couple of hours. I attended a fitness course for four hours that evening - by 8 I was really tired, but that does coincide with our normal bedtime. Overall, I felt great and didn't feel like I needed coffee at all.
Day 6 & 7: When I decided to stop caffeine cold-turkey last Monday, I wasn't really thinking about how busy the weekend was going to be. In addition to the 4-hour fitness course Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday were 8-hour courses with the majority of the time spent being active. Saturday I did really well - I was full of energy, I didn't have any crashes during the afternoon, and I even had enough stamina left over to attend Bryan's family Christmas dinner as well as hang out with him and his brother until almost 1 am! Now, this wasn't a great idea because of the course Sunday. Sunday, though, I still did not touch caffeine and managed to make it through the day on 5 hours of sleep. I was absolutely exhausted Sunday evening - physically and mentally - so I anticipated a great slumber. I fell asleep by 8 but awoke at 1:30 for no reason, staying awake to read for an hour.
Needless to say, on day 8, I feel pretty tired, but I know I am coming off a hard weekend and little sleep to make up for it. But, overall, I feel perfectly fine - no more headaches, I'm less thirsty and dehydrated during the days, and I even wake up less parched than normal. I want to refrain from any caffeine until Christmas to see how that length of time makes me feel. Obviously, my sleep patterns are still in need of repair, but I know with any nutritional fix, it takes time, sometimes up to 8 weeks, to see any improvement.
Coffee beans grown in sub-par conditions may likely be infested with moulds, bacterias and pesticides, and the processing activities it undergoes to become that beverage we enjoy so much will remove vital nutrients while adding more bad stuff. Coffee grown organically and that which costs more to purchase (due to improved processing techniques) is supposedly better for you (yay, good news as Kickinghorse Coffee is the BEST!).
I've been struggling with sleep issues for months and my inability to stay asleep and acquire at least 7 hours each night has gotten to the point where I am anxious before bed and seriously frustrated with myself most days and nights. I feel like I can barely function most days, my attention span is about 2 minutes for any given task, and my mind is almost constantly in a translucent fog. This is not good for work, let alone my studies on top of that! My ND says my adrenals are stressed, and when they are stressed, sleep is tough to come by. So many factors can cause stress but the one that keeps showing its face in all my research is, you guessed it, caffeine!
So, simply for trial purposes, I have decided to give up caffeine for at least one week to see if I notice any differences in my concentration, my ability to think and my sleep quality. I'm not one of those people who are so attached to coffee that I simply couldn't live without it; however, I do crave it most days, especially at work. Coffee, specifically Starbucks' coffee, has become like a warm blanket for me each morning - it warms me up after breakfast, reducing the discomfort of the office freeze that most women experience each day; it gets me off my butt for a quick 10 minute walk during a day when I don't really have many reasons to leave my seat; and the aroma and taste have become a comfort when I am just looking for some quiet time to relax or read. (This is why I can't imagine I'll give up coffee forever after this week is over but if my sleep is drastically changed, I will consider reducing how often I drink the yummy, yummy stuff!)
My typical coffee is 12 ounces before 10:00 AM so theoretically this should not affect my sleep. Coffee is supposed to have a half life of 7 hours, which means half of its content can stay in your body up to 7 hours after consumption. This would mean I should be free of my relatively small cup by 5:00 PM. However, I wonder if my adrenals are simply overstimulated enough by my stress that they can't handle the caffeine.
On to my experiment and my experiences!
Day 1: I went to bed in decent time Sunday night, technically a day without caffeine, but couldn't fall asleep despite feeling sleepy. I had bought a slice of pie after my dance class and ate that around 1:30 PM. By 2:30 I could not keep my eyes open and at 3:00 I lay down on the couch to read, waking up from a deep sleep by my ringing phone at 5:30. So, perhaps this nap had some affect on bedtime. (And apparently sugar really does make me crash now!)
I felt alright Monday morning when I woke up. I was awake and ready for the gym, and I managed to run almost as long as I'd hoped. My first few hours at work were typically but around 10:00, when my body is used to that caffeine, I suddenly got this awful pounding headache and become quite restless. As the day dragged on, the head-bobbing started and I literally struggled to keep my eyes open from about noon until 4. The bus ride home was much of the same.
When I arrived home, all I could think about was sleeping. Bryan kept asking me questions about dinner and I got frustrated and told him I couldn't think about making food at the moment. I needed to get away and try to calm down. After I drank my Greens+, I felt a slight surge of energy and seemed to wake up a bit. I managed to make and eat dinner, clean up the kitchen, wrap a few presents, and do some studying. By 7:30, though, the head-bobbing had begun. So I went to bed, and read until about 8:30.
Day 2: Wow, I had one of the best sleeps in my life last night! I woke up to go to the bathroom 3 times, which is too bad, but I was in such a deep sleep for most of the night that I woke up feeling awesome this morning. The gym was good, my workout was great, and I felt so much better when I came to work. Again, around 10, I got a slightly less severe pounding headache in the same areas and I started to become a little tired, my eyes drooping on me. The remainder of the day was a slight struggle to stay awake and concentrate on my work. By the time I arrived home, I was feeling quite sleepy. However, I did have a bit more energy than the previous evening and was able to complete a few necessary household tasks. Bedtime came quick again, though, and I seemed to fall asleep quite fast.
Day 3: I felt my sleep quality was quite good except that I woke up at 3:30 AM again! This is one of my problems, one that has bothered me for the past couple of months. When I know my alarm will go off at 5, I tend to be unable to fall back to sleep. If I know I still don't need to get up for a few hours, I can sleep again for a few more hours. Today I had a pretty good run but early morning I began to feel very sleepy again. My eyes just wanted to close! I think that simply sitting at a desk and staring at a screen all day doesn't help, though - I know I feel a lot more alert and happier when I'm moving around. I notice, however, that I feel much less dehydrated this week. Caffeine is a diuretic, and I always wondered if my daily cup was removing too much water from my body.
Day 4: I had another pretty great sleep and woke up feeling quite refreshed. I only had a very minor headache begin around 10 AM, but it lasts merely minutes. I felt fairly energetic until mid-afternoon, but, again, I think this is typical now with an office job. Sitting all day is not only exhausting, it makes me bored and antsy and frustrated! I had to meet Bryan for dinner and decided to walk to Inglewood, which was great once I got going. I seemed perky all evening until our normal bedtime, and enjoyed a rather normal day.
Day 5: Sleep was great! I woke up ready to tackle an Insanity workout. This was my Friday off from work, so I generally have way more energy on these days to begin with. I awoke on schedule, worked out, ran errands, and was able to come home and study for a couple of hours. I attended a fitness course for four hours that evening - by 8 I was really tired, but that does coincide with our normal bedtime. Overall, I felt great and didn't feel like I needed coffee at all.
Day 6 & 7: When I decided to stop caffeine cold-turkey last Monday, I wasn't really thinking about how busy the weekend was going to be. In addition to the 4-hour fitness course Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday were 8-hour courses with the majority of the time spent being active. Saturday I did really well - I was full of energy, I didn't have any crashes during the afternoon, and I even had enough stamina left over to attend Bryan's family Christmas dinner as well as hang out with him and his brother until almost 1 am! Now, this wasn't a great idea because of the course Sunday. Sunday, though, I still did not touch caffeine and managed to make it through the day on 5 hours of sleep. I was absolutely exhausted Sunday evening - physically and mentally - so I anticipated a great slumber. I fell asleep by 8 but awoke at 1:30 for no reason, staying awake to read for an hour.
Needless to say, on day 8, I feel pretty tired, but I know I am coming off a hard weekend and little sleep to make up for it. But, overall, I feel perfectly fine - no more headaches, I'm less thirsty and dehydrated during the days, and I even wake up less parched than normal. I want to refrain from any caffeine until Christmas to see how that length of time makes me feel. Obviously, my sleep patterns are still in need of repair, but I know with any nutritional fix, it takes time, sometimes up to 8 weeks, to see any improvement.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Possible to Reduce Stress This Time of Year?
I admit that when November rolls around, I find my stress level rising as I struggle between hunkering down for some time at home, dedicated to whatever course I am working on or book I am reading at that moment, and all the holiday events and get-togethers that just seem to always keep popping up. While I do enjoy spending time with friends and family, it does all seem to come at me at once and I find that I am stressed because time is short for me to take care of myself. When this feeling sets in, one of the first places that I find it easy to neglect is my healthy home-cooked meals. Take out and ordering pizza just seem way more conducive to my busy and hectic schedule, allowing for me to spend less time in the kitchen to get things done.
However, I also find that added stress is not good for my waistline even if I am eating super healthfully, so I know that it's just a bad combination to neglect my diet while my cortisol levels are up. And since I am prone to the dreaded belly fat, I must actively find ways to maintain good health and eat mindfully and wholesomely during this time!
Recently a link to a ton of 3-ingredient recipes came across my inbox and I thought this might be something interesting to review, even if it was just to kill some time at work. However, while most of the recipes did not appeal to me, there were a few that did and the concept got me thinking about how I could use this to my advantage. So, sifting through the recipes that seemed reasonable and tasty (and that Bryan would eat), I began to compile a short list of meal ideas that would work on week nights when we are both very tired and, in my case, have way too much going on (working out for the second time that day, reading my endless supply of nutrition books, writing my first case study, reading my pile of library books...yes, I think I take on too much).
Maintaining the idea of simple yet healthy meals that could be consumed throughout the week, I opted to choose three 3-ingredient recipes to build upon for this week. In addition, I began creating some lists: lists of protein options, lists of vegetables, lists of spice rubs, lists of marinades, etc. It's very true that I enjoy trying out new recipes but sometimes, when I am especially tired, the thought of pulling out all the ingredients and preparing a meal, even if it only takes 20 minutes, pushes my past my breaking point. And this is when the pizza gets ordered!
Anyway, so far this week is going well with my attempt to reduce my effort creating meals while still maintaining a clean, wholesome diet throughout the week. With the exception of tonight (we have been invited to attend the opening of a new restaurant for free), I think I have a good handle on achieving my goal. I thought I would share my Weekly Menu Plan as well as my take on some of the recipes.
The Menu Plan:
What makes this an easy meal plan? The recipes, plus the time and effort it takes to actually 'cook' or 'heat up' the dinners!
Breakfast Hash Recipe: Peel and chop into 1/2" pieces 2 medium sized sweet potatoes. Roast at 400 F for 25-30 minutes, until tender. Meanwhile, sautee 1 bag of baby spinach in a bit of olive oil, until wilted. Set aside. Cook eggs to your liking (I scrambled 8 eggs to use across the 4 days of work this week). I then layered egg, spinach and sweet potato in my little 1 1/2 cup glass container, added a couple of squirts of hot sauce and heated this up at work (2 minutes 30 seconds on power 8 did the trick).
Lunch Sandwich: Cook 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts as directed in the oven. Chopped 1/4 cup of cilantro and cut up 1 avocado. When chicken is cool enough to handle, finely shred it and mix with avocado and cilantro (my avocado was still hard so my 'salad' was not sticking together, so a more ripe avocado may work best). Place 1/4 to 1/3 of the mixture between 2 slices of whole wheat bread, add any vegetables or sauces (I used lettuce and grainy mustard) and wrap tightly to keep it together. Very tasty!
Chili: The original 3-ingredient chili included ground beef, 1 can diced tomatoes, and 1 can kidney beans. My chili recipe began with a cooked package of ground bison. I cut up 1/2 red onion, 2 cloves garlic and 2 celery stalks and sauteed until tender. I added the bison, 1 large can of crushed tomatoes, 1 can drained and rinsed kidney beans and 1 cut up sweet pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes and add spices as you desire. Super easy!
Baked salmon takes minutes to cook, and broccoli is steamed to perfection with 10 minutes. Thawed chicken breasts cook faster than frozen, and sweet potato chunks are ready in about 30 minutes. Sauteed garlic is literally the easiest vegetable dish ever!
As you can see, each of these meals is super quick to make but what takes the stress away even better is to prepare as much as possible on the weekend before!
I spent 2 hours on Sunday getting everything ready:
Figuring out how to make mealtime interesting as well as healthy can take some practice, and I admit that dedicating time on the weekends to food prep is not (yet) my favorite thing to do, but I do know how positive I feel when I am able to maintain a clean diet throughout the week. Let's see how I manage this week and whether my plan for next holds up! If it does, I will certainly share my menu plan again.
Until then, eat clean and wholesome and enjoy the benefits! Your body will thank you.
However, I also find that added stress is not good for my waistline even if I am eating super healthfully, so I know that it's just a bad combination to neglect my diet while my cortisol levels are up. And since I am prone to the dreaded belly fat, I must actively find ways to maintain good health and eat mindfully and wholesomely during this time!
Recently a link to a ton of 3-ingredient recipes came across my inbox and I thought this might be something interesting to review, even if it was just to kill some time at work. However, while most of the recipes did not appeal to me, there were a few that did and the concept got me thinking about how I could use this to my advantage. So, sifting through the recipes that seemed reasonable and tasty (and that Bryan would eat), I began to compile a short list of meal ideas that would work on week nights when we are both very tired and, in my case, have way too much going on (working out for the second time that day, reading my endless supply of nutrition books, writing my first case study, reading my pile of library books...yes, I think I take on too much).
Maintaining the idea of simple yet healthy meals that could be consumed throughout the week, I opted to choose three 3-ingredient recipes to build upon for this week. In addition, I began creating some lists: lists of protein options, lists of vegetables, lists of spice rubs, lists of marinades, etc. It's very true that I enjoy trying out new recipes but sometimes, when I am especially tired, the thought of pulling out all the ingredients and preparing a meal, even if it only takes 20 minutes, pushes my past my breaking point. And this is when the pizza gets ordered!
Anyway, so far this week is going well with my attempt to reduce my effort creating meals while still maintaining a clean, wholesome diet throughout the week. With the exception of tonight (we have been invited to attend the opening of a new restaurant for free), I think I have a good handle on achieving my goal. I thought I would share my Weekly Menu Plan as well as my take on some of the recipes.
The Menu Plan:
- Monday:
- breakfast - sweet potato, spinach, egg 'hash'
- lunch - chicken avocado sandwich
- dinner - chili
- Tuesday:
- breakfast - sweet potato, spinach, egg 'hash'
- lunch - chicken avocado sandwich
- OUT
- Wednesday:
- breakfast - sweet potato, spinach, egg 'hash'
- lunch - chicken avocado sandwich
- dinner - marinated salmon and steamed broccoli
- Thursday:
- breakfast - sweet potato, spinach, egg 'hash'
- lunch - chicken avocado sandwich
- dinner - chili
- Friday:
- breakfast - oatmeal with raisins and hemp seeds
- lunch - chili (if leftover)
- dinner - baked chicken, sweet potato, sauteed garlic spinach
What makes this an easy meal plan? The recipes, plus the time and effort it takes to actually 'cook' or 'heat up' the dinners!
Breakfast Hash Recipe: Peel and chop into 1/2" pieces 2 medium sized sweet potatoes. Roast at 400 F for 25-30 minutes, until tender. Meanwhile, sautee 1 bag of baby spinach in a bit of olive oil, until wilted. Set aside. Cook eggs to your liking (I scrambled 8 eggs to use across the 4 days of work this week). I then layered egg, spinach and sweet potato in my little 1 1/2 cup glass container, added a couple of squirts of hot sauce and heated this up at work (2 minutes 30 seconds on power 8 did the trick).
Lunch Sandwich: Cook 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts as directed in the oven. Chopped 1/4 cup of cilantro and cut up 1 avocado. When chicken is cool enough to handle, finely shred it and mix with avocado and cilantro (my avocado was still hard so my 'salad' was not sticking together, so a more ripe avocado may work best). Place 1/4 to 1/3 of the mixture between 2 slices of whole wheat bread, add any vegetables or sauces (I used lettuce and grainy mustard) and wrap tightly to keep it together. Very tasty!
Chili: The original 3-ingredient chili included ground beef, 1 can diced tomatoes, and 1 can kidney beans. My chili recipe began with a cooked package of ground bison. I cut up 1/2 red onion, 2 cloves garlic and 2 celery stalks and sauteed until tender. I added the bison, 1 large can of crushed tomatoes, 1 can drained and rinsed kidney beans and 1 cut up sweet pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes and add spices as you desire. Super easy!
Baked salmon takes minutes to cook, and broccoli is steamed to perfection with 10 minutes. Thawed chicken breasts cook faster than frozen, and sweet potato chunks are ready in about 30 minutes. Sauteed garlic is literally the easiest vegetable dish ever!
As you can see, each of these meals is super quick to make but what takes the stress away even better is to prepare as much as possible on the weekend before!
I spent 2 hours on Sunday getting everything ready:
- Cut up and roasted sweet potato
- Cut up onion, garlic, pepper, celery, cilantro, avocado
- Cooked bison and made chili
- Cooked chicken breasts and assembled chicken avocado salad
- Pre-made a soy-ginger marinade to be used on the salmon
- Cooked spinach and egg and separated into containers
Figuring out how to make mealtime interesting as well as healthy can take some practice, and I admit that dedicating time on the weekends to food prep is not (yet) my favorite thing to do, but I do know how positive I feel when I am able to maintain a clean diet throughout the week. Let's see how I manage this week and whether my plan for next holds up! If it does, I will certainly share my menu plan again.
Until then, eat clean and wholesome and enjoy the benefits! Your body will thank you.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Fall Pumpkin Lovin'!
This fall, I am trying to catch the pumpkin train, incorporating as much pumpkin puree into as many meals as I possibly can! One year I bought a pumpkin, cut out all the seeds and guts, and peeled the thing so that I could cook the flesh, resulting in an abundance of pumpkin to use in various recipes. I made myself a lovely pumpkin pie and used the rest for pumpkin tarts (really, just mini-pumpkin pies). This was quite the feat, taking up most of my weekend, and I did thoroughly enjoy my pies, but after realizing how much work it is to actually cook a pumpkin, I have been taking the lazy route and purchasing puree. Take note that this is NOT the same as the chemical-laced pumpkin pie filling you can buy (which tastes disgusting compared to naturally spiced pumpkin puree used in traditional pies). Finding BPA-free pumpkin is more of a challenge than I thought, especially at this time of year, but it is possible. Take the extra time and find a can of this yummy squash to save your health from the inside out.
Yes, It's Healthy!
Why pumpkin? The health benefits of these amazing vegetables are many! With its rich, orange-yellow color, the flesh is full of antioxidants, vitamins A, the B's, C, and E, magnesium, potassium, beta-carotene, and so much more! Pumpkin also offers you 3g of fiber in each one cup serving. How can you go wrong with this lovely vegetable?
In addition to the health benefits of the flesh, raw pumpkin seeds (the green seeds located within their white-colored shells) provide vitamin A and K, riboflavin, folate, niacin, protein, selenium, and manganese.
For me, one of the biggest draw to increasing my consumption of pumpkin this season is its skin health benefits - the beta-carotene and vitamin A are great for maintaining healthy and vibrant skin. When your skin is properly nourished in conjunction with your body and immune system, you experience fewer problematic issues. Who doesn't want clear, glowing skin?
A Delectable Breakfast Treat!
Over the past few weeks, I have been experimenting with various pumpkin recipes and have been enjoying alternative tastes to some common dishes. One of my recent favorites is Pumpkin Spiced Oatmeal. I substituted unsweetened almond milk for the 1% milk and used honey in my recipe. The final cooked version gave me 3 cups of this delicious breakfast meal, which was perfect for me to take to work this week. The process was quick and easy to complete over the weekend and the oatmeal stores well in the fridge for three days, at least.
I did add a few extras to my oatmeal each day, although the pumpkin spiced oatmeal is very tasty on its own. Because I am following a lunar cycle seed regime right now, I added 1 tablespoon of raw tahini and 1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds (ground) to mine, as well as 1 tablespoon each of hemp hearts and chia seeds. I have to say that the tahini added a lovely, scrumptiously nutty flavor to the oatmeal, complementing the pumpkin very nicely!
The Smoothie Revolution
The word 'smoothie' has been popping up every where - we see 'green smoothies', 'vegetable smoothies', and articles relaying the hype of how nutritious smoothies are for breakfast, lunch, snacks or even post-workout. Smoothies are great - they're versatile, easily transportable, and a yummy way to ensure you're consuming your vegetable and fruit serving requirements each day. Some smoothies are definitely meant more as a meal replacement, while others, like this superb Pumpkin Banana Smoothie, feel more like a special treat at the end of a long day!
The number of servings for this recipe states "2", but I found that, following the directions almost completely, it actually yielded about 12 (thick) ounces. My substitutes included 6 ounces of unsweetened vanilla almond milk for the yogurt, and 1 tablespoon of sucanat for the brown sugar. I probably added more spices than what is called for in the recipe as I don't tend to measure these out accurately (I find most recipes skimp on spices and I just add more as a general rule).
Overall, this smoothie tasted amazing! It was pumpkin pie sweet with a hint of banana. I found it very thick, though, and might try adding more milk next time. And I could definitely note the sucanat in there, so perhaps coconut sugar or another alternative sweetener would be best for next time.
Yes, It's Healthy!
Why pumpkin? The health benefits of these amazing vegetables are many! With its rich, orange-yellow color, the flesh is full of antioxidants, vitamins A, the B's, C, and E, magnesium, potassium, beta-carotene, and so much more! Pumpkin also offers you 3g of fiber in each one cup serving. How can you go wrong with this lovely vegetable?
In addition to the health benefits of the flesh, raw pumpkin seeds (the green seeds located within their white-colored shells) provide vitamin A and K, riboflavin, folate, niacin, protein, selenium, and manganese.
For me, one of the biggest draw to increasing my consumption of pumpkin this season is its skin health benefits - the beta-carotene and vitamin A are great for maintaining healthy and vibrant skin. When your skin is properly nourished in conjunction with your body and immune system, you experience fewer problematic issues. Who doesn't want clear, glowing skin?
A Delectable Breakfast Treat!
Over the past few weeks, I have been experimenting with various pumpkin recipes and have been enjoying alternative tastes to some common dishes. One of my recent favorites is Pumpkin Spiced Oatmeal. I substituted unsweetened almond milk for the 1% milk and used honey in my recipe. The final cooked version gave me 3 cups of this delicious breakfast meal, which was perfect for me to take to work this week. The process was quick and easy to complete over the weekend and the oatmeal stores well in the fridge for three days, at least.
I did add a few extras to my oatmeal each day, although the pumpkin spiced oatmeal is very tasty on its own. Because I am following a lunar cycle seed regime right now, I added 1 tablespoon of raw tahini and 1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds (ground) to mine, as well as 1 tablespoon each of hemp hearts and chia seeds. I have to say that the tahini added a lovely, scrumptiously nutty flavor to the oatmeal, complementing the pumpkin very nicely!
The Smoothie Revolution
The word 'smoothie' has been popping up every where - we see 'green smoothies', 'vegetable smoothies', and articles relaying the hype of how nutritious smoothies are for breakfast, lunch, snacks or even post-workout. Smoothies are great - they're versatile, easily transportable, and a yummy way to ensure you're consuming your vegetable and fruit serving requirements each day. Some smoothies are definitely meant more as a meal replacement, while others, like this superb Pumpkin Banana Smoothie, feel more like a special treat at the end of a long day!
The number of servings for this recipe states "2", but I found that, following the directions almost completely, it actually yielded about 12 (thick) ounces. My substitutes included 6 ounces of unsweetened vanilla almond milk for the yogurt, and 1 tablespoon of sucanat for the brown sugar. I probably added more spices than what is called for in the recipe as I don't tend to measure these out accurately (I find most recipes skimp on spices and I just add more as a general rule).
Overall, this smoothie tasted amazing! It was pumpkin pie sweet with a hint of banana. I found it very thick, though, and might try adding more milk next time. And I could definitely note the sucanat in there, so perhaps coconut sugar or another alternative sweetener would be best for next time.
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Workout of the Week
I'm a little behind in my "Workout of the Week" posts, but there is nothing wrong with starting up again! As I finish my boot camp class tonight, I am looking for ways to continue this level of activity on my own.
This week's workout is one that can be done alone or with a partner, and I designed it with 3 participants. You can obviously adjust things to include more people or just run through it on your own.
After a good 7-10 minute warm up (think high knees, jogging, arm circles, hip circles, squats, and lunges), begin this workout. The concept is as follows:
There are 3 'circuits' involved. For a total of 20-30 minutes, run through the circuits as many times as possible. Person A will start running and complete 400 meters. They will then tag out Person B, who will move onto the next circuit in the series. If Person C has been working the 3rd circuit, they will move onto the running portion. Continue this 'tag out' and 'move on' sequence for the duration of the workout, without resting and taking only a few seconds for sip of water as needed.
Circuit A:
Run for 400 meters (or 1/4 mile)
Circuit B:
5 burpees
10 push ups
15 sit ups
20 squats
(repeat)
Circuit C:
5 V Sit Ups
10 Mountain Climbers (per side)
10 Sumo Squat Jumps
12 Plank Position Hip Extensions (per side) (in plank position, slowly raise left food 1 foot off the ground, hold for 2 seconds, lower; repeat with right foot; that's 1 full repetition)
(repeat)
If, after this workout, you're still looking for more, rest for 4 minutes and run through this abs workout too.
60-second Plank
25 Knees Tucks with Shoulders off Ground
25 Bicycles
25 Right Side Oblique Crunches
25 Left Side Oblique Crunches
10 Leg Circles Left
10 Leg Circles Right
60-second Plank
Cool down and enjoy the rest of your day!
This week's workout is one that can be done alone or with a partner, and I designed it with 3 participants. You can obviously adjust things to include more people or just run through it on your own.
After a good 7-10 minute warm up (think high knees, jogging, arm circles, hip circles, squats, and lunges), begin this workout. The concept is as follows:
There are 3 'circuits' involved. For a total of 20-30 minutes, run through the circuits as many times as possible. Person A will start running and complete 400 meters. They will then tag out Person B, who will move onto the next circuit in the series. If Person C has been working the 3rd circuit, they will move onto the running portion. Continue this 'tag out' and 'move on' sequence for the duration of the workout, without resting and taking only a few seconds for sip of water as needed.
Circuit A:
Run for 400 meters (or 1/4 mile)
Circuit B:
5 burpees
10 push ups
15 sit ups
20 squats
(repeat)
Circuit C:
5 V Sit Ups
10 Mountain Climbers (per side)
10 Sumo Squat Jumps
12 Plank Position Hip Extensions (per side) (in plank position, slowly raise left food 1 foot off the ground, hold for 2 seconds, lower; repeat with right foot; that's 1 full repetition)
(repeat)
If, after this workout, you're still looking for more, rest for 4 minutes and run through this abs workout too.
60-second Plank
25 Knees Tucks with Shoulders off Ground
25 Bicycles
25 Right Side Oblique Crunches
25 Left Side Oblique Crunches
10 Leg Circles Left
10 Leg Circles Right
60-second Plank
Cool down and enjoy the rest of your day!
Friday, September 26, 2014
Eating Locally in Calgary during the Fall
Every season, I vow to eat more locally
in-season produce, but am overwhelmed by the choices as well as unsure how to
consume many of these delectable offerings outside of the ‘usual’ ways (i.e.
stir-fries, scrambled eggs, chili, etc.).
It is also seriously frustrating when I receive magazines with recipes boasting
‘local fresh in-season produce’ from areas such as California or Florida. I am so happy for people living there who are
able to take advantage of a year-round growing season, but how are those of us
to the north supposed to handle the ideals of seasonal eating?
What Is In-Season?
To get you started, here is a list of some
produce considered in-season for fall – that timeframe seems to always indicate
the months of September through to the middle of November.
September:
Apples, Beans, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots,
Cauliflower, Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Green Beans, Lettuce, Onions, Pears,
Peas, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Raspberries, Rutabagas, Strawberries, Tomatoes,
Turnips, Winter Squash, Zucchini
October:
Apples, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Greens,
Pears, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Rutabagas, Turnips, Winter Squash, Sweet Potatoes,
Yams
November:
Beets, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Turnips, Winter Squash,
Greenhouse Herbs, Greenhouse Tomatoes, Greenhouse Cucumbers
Where to Find Local Produce in Alberta?
As you probably noticed, the list becomes
much shorter as the cooler months set in, making it very difficult to sustain a
local food and in-season produce lifestyle here in Calgary. Luckily, there is more of a movement by
Calgarians and other Southern Albertans to maintain their local, in-season
eating habits throughout the winter. Local
gardeners can preserve many of the summer fruits and vegetables, as well,
maintaining a well-balanced diet through consumption of local, healthy,
nutrient-rich foods during cooler months.
Finding local produce is becoming simpler
though. Companies like Spud.ca make it
easy for people to take note of where foods are produced to reduce their carbon
footprint. Local restaurants serving
the local food movement have also found ways to incorporate in-season foods
into their menus. As the months become
colder, Albertans may need to expand their purchases beyond the province and
opt for produce grown in British Columbia, where climates allow for a longer
growing season and more variety.
Yet, we can still find many in-province
farmers to purchase from during the fall and winter. Broxburn Vegetables and Café is a local farm
that grows produce year round and bring their bounty to the Kingsland Farmer’s
Market each week. Innisfail also boasts
a number of produce farms that collaborate to sell their fresh foods at the
Calgary Farmer’s Market, as well as at other local establishment. Local restaurants such as Rouge, River Café,
and The Coup have relationships with many Alberta and BC farmers to obtain
fresh ingredients with maximum nutrition.
A thorough list of produce suppliers in this province can be found a
Slow Food Calgary.
Incorporate Variety into Your Dishes
Fall and winter produce does not have to be
boring. As an avid follower of the
clean eating philosophy, I get great pleasure each month with my Clean Eating
magazine shows up. With the
understanding that eating locally is one of the best ways you can ensure your
produce is ‘clean’, the editors and recipe artists thrive on finding delicious
flavor combinations that work with the produce most in season. They also have a number of Canadian
contributors on staff, which seems to allow for a more North American viewpoint
(as opposed to a southern United States, or New York City one).
A delectable butternut squash recipe that
will definitely please the people you serve is their Butternut SquashEnchiladas.
French Fries are always a favorite, and can
become a go-to comfort food for cooler months.
Try a healthier alternative with Spicy Turnip Fries.
Why not add pumpkin to your usual hummus
recipe? Hummus is a great snack because
the chickpeas contain protein to keep you feeling fuller longer. Paired with fresh vegetables, hummus is the
ideal afternoon snack. To spice things
up, try a Pumpkin Hummus recipe.
For a yummy carrot recipe your family is
sure to love, roast carrots over the BBQ or in the oven, then coat with a
mixture of chopped dill, olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, and pepper.
With a little creativity and some extra
effort in searching out these wonderful local farmers, you can sustain the
wonderful, local food lifestyle here in Calgary all year round. Meal planning in advance is one of the best
ideas I have ever tried to ensure that I give myself enough time to locate the
correct foods I need for the recipes I am interested in testing. Good luck!
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Workout of the Week
Last week during my boot camp class, I decided to give my friend Dave a tough workout, as he's always up for the challenge. He has the strength to do quite heavy weight-bearing exercises, but, like many guys I know, he lacks endurance to go along with it. So, I was quite pleased that he felt it for a few days afterwards!
Here is the workout. We did the first circuit twice and followed it by the abs challenge at the end.
For 12 minutes, without taking a break, perform this circuit as many times as possible:
For the Abs Challenge, we performed the following:
Cool down with a slow walk for 2-3 minutes, before stretching for the final 10.
Good luck! It was definitely a good workout!
Here is the workout. We did the first circuit twice and followed it by the abs challenge at the end.
For 12 minutes, without taking a break, perform this circuit as many times as possible:
- 15 pushups
- 20 goblet squats (with 15-20 lbs)
- 50 skip rope (or jumps)
- 10 sumo squat jumps
For the Abs Challenge, we performed the following:
- 60 second plank
- 25 Russian Twists, no weights, feet on the floor
- 25 Russian Twists, no weights, shins parallel to the floor
- 25 knee tucks (keeping feet and shoulders off the floor)
- 25 slow bicycles
- 25 leg lifts (shoulders up off the floor to make it harder, keeping legs straight)
- 25 crunches
- 60 second plank
Cool down with a slow walk for 2-3 minutes, before stretching for the final 10.
Good luck! It was definitely a good workout!
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Clean and Green Cosmetics
It's been stated time and again - if we spend the effort looking for organic food choices, those without pesticides and herbicides and other nasty chemicals, why do we negate to look, also, for health and beauty products that are also free from unnatural and unhealthy ingredients? Everything we put on our skin is absorbed and, thus, most of those artificial preservatives and perfumes are taken into the body, circulated throughout the bloodstream, and take up residence in various organs. Unfortunately, I feel like I have used these products for too long to reverse any damage already done (and I just hope that nothing devastating has occurred), but that doesn't mean I can't start trying to live even healthier, right?
On the search for 'natural' and 'clean' cosmetics, I came across a wonderful project entitled the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. Search for your favorite product, and the results will outline the overall risk of the chemicals used, as well as break down each ingredient into whether it is a carcinogen, allergen, toxic to the body's systems, or other risks. It's quite surprising that products marketed as 'natural' still have so many awful attributes! After searching the database for the products I commonly use, I decided I needed to make some healthier choices.
Because breast cancer is a big concern for me for many reasons - I have never been pregnant, obviously never breastfed, and took birth control pills for far too long, along with the fact that I know nothing about my family medical history - I chose to focus on eliminating chemicals thought to cause this awful disease first. An article on one of my favorite wellness sites lists BPA, phthalates and parabens as the top contributors to this illness.
My 'beauty regime' consists of a number of products that I use each day, as I suspect most women's routines follow as well (though many, I'm sure, use more than me, as I'm pretty lazy when it comes to becoming presentable). As I run through the list in my head, I realize that it is going to take some effort to find adequate replacements for everything!
I began my search by looking for reputable recommendations for overall natural beauty product brands. The brands I discovered fall into both the "skin and hair care" and "makeup" categories. These include:
- Organix (OGX) - be mindful when reading ingredients as not every product is safe
- Live Clean Professional - very clean products - paraben, phthalate free in most cases, and reasonably priced
- Weleda
- Living Proof - Jennifer Aniston-approved! (I thought that was funny.)
- Tata Harper
- Green Beaver
- Consonant
- Lafes
- Kiss My Face
- Dead Sea Cosmetics - from Israel and tough to find in general stores
- Avalon Organics
- Physicians Formula
- Burt's Bees
- JASON Organics - again, not everything is chemical free
- Alba Botanica - expensive, but appears to meet the criteria I am looking for
- Bare Essensuals
- Origins
An issue that I do worry about when switching from my Body Shop brand body butters is dry skin. I suffer from this 12 months a year in Calgary, and was so impressed with how well these body butters help with itchy, flaky skin I experience. However, their products do not seem to be paraben free (I am still researching this, though), so I will have to find another option.
When I received this month's issue of Clean Eating magazine, I noticed a new column that strives to promote healthy beauty from the outside. Included in this article is a recipe for homemade, all-natural deodorant (that I do plan to try), which gave me the idea to look for all-natural, homemade body butters. Surprisingly, I came across a number of sites for this, and am looking forward to making both the Key Lime Coconut Oil Body Butter and the Bronzing Whipped Body Butter. (I will share my experience with all three of these recipes as soon as I find the time to make them!)
Initially I was very frustrated that every single product I use could be leading me down the road to breast (and other) cancer, but after a few hours of research and review of products, I am more confident that I can live healthier and nourish my both both inside and out with all-natural products. I realize that I will need to start spending more money than normal on these products (unless I am able to find successful homemade products), but I suppose that is the current state of affairs for wellness. As one author stated, we just need to convince more people to purchase these products so that increases in demand begin to decrease the prices, just like it has for non-healthy, preservative-filled products. If you can beautify yourself by purchasing local (or at least Canadian) brands, even better!
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Ionic Foot Bath Experiences
For almost 2 years now, I have been suffering from fairly bad acne that just does not want to disappear. My naturopathic doctor and I have been working on this for over 12 months, using moon phases and seed therapies, along with focus on both liver and adrenals. While these remedies work most of the time to keep the acne at bay, there are times when it flares up, especially when my immune system is compromised by another illness.
Last summer, I bought a coupon for wellness services at Spice Wellness here in Calgary, mainly because one service was the ionic foot bath. I had heard stories about how effective this process was at removing toxins from the body and just wanted to try it out for myself.
An ionic foot bath, or detox, is a painless, relaxing treatment that uses salt water and electrodes to draw toxins from the body's various organs. Though not backed up by scientific research, this process has been used for generations as a way to heal the body and maintain overall health, especially in the Asian circles. As you sit through the 30 minute session, the water that your feet sit in changes colors - it initially turns are deep yellow, followed by various stages of orange, and sometimes even green/black. Each color means a different area of your body is getting cleansed:
There are a few other signs of detoxification that you may see, including black flecks (indicating heavy metals), white foam (lymphatic mucous), and red spots (blood clots). Needless to say, once the session is over, the water is absolutely disgusting!!
Back to my Spice Wellness experience: The coupon also included Full Body Vibration sessions for 4 weeks, which I attended as regularly as I could with my busy schedule. Between these sessions and the foot baths (I had two), my skin cleared up dramatically and even had a healthy glow with minimal markings! My ND attributed this change to both the foot baths and the vibrations, proving to me that a healthy immune system is critical to managing this problem. The vibrations helped stimulate the movement of lymphatic fluid throughout my body, allowing it to more easily eliminate wastes and toxins that build up there. The foot baths pulled additional toxins out, further helping clear up my skin.
Now, a year later, as I fight my way through to the end of a summer cold (the worst!), my skin is bad again and I know I have a ton of toxins and lymph fluid that needs to be moved out of me. Last week, I had a scheduled foot bath appointment on Day 2 of this nasty cold, purely by coincidence. Going into the session, I felt horrible and just wanted to go home - my nose would not stop running, my sinuses were so plugged that my eyes were constantly watering, and my head hurt. But, I figured I could sit in a chair for 30 minutes, despite how awful I felt.
20 minutes into the foot bath, my water was a dark orange color, but absolutely filled with white foam! It was the worst I had ever seen it, and typically I have a lot of white foam. My boyfriend, conversely, had dark brown water and no foam, which I expected from someone who drinks a lot of diet coke and eats McDonald's almost every day (liver cleanse!).
And, then, almost instantly, as soon as the foot bath was over, I felt so much better. My nose had stopped running, my head hurt only slightly and my sinuses felt as though they'd opened up. For the remainder of the evening and into the next day, I still felt exhausted from fighting this cold, but the congestion had cleared up dramatically. Feeling less congested helped me sleep better, which incidentally sped up my recovery. Whether this is coincidence or not, I have to attest that I felt so much healthier after my foot detox, as I do after each and every one. It may be a farce, but I think there is benefit to taking part in a session every once in awhile.
Ironically, my holistic nutrition school researchers did a study on ionic foot baths and found that no actual detoxification occurs during a session. They determined that the water changed color because of rusting and heavy metal interactions between the water and electrodes. Water composition tested both before and after a session showed no signs of a change.
Whether you believe in ionic detoxification or not, it has helped me both with my ongoing acne battle and to reduce the length and severity of a head cold.
Last summer, I bought a coupon for wellness services at Spice Wellness here in Calgary, mainly because one service was the ionic foot bath. I had heard stories about how effective this process was at removing toxins from the body and just wanted to try it out for myself.
An ionic foot bath, or detox, is a painless, relaxing treatment that uses salt water and electrodes to draw toxins from the body's various organs. Though not backed up by scientific research, this process has been used for generations as a way to heal the body and maintain overall health, especially in the Asian circles. As you sit through the 30 minute session, the water that your feet sit in changes colors - it initially turns are deep yellow, followed by various stages of orange, and sometimes even green/black. Each color means a different area of your body is getting cleansed:
Yellow - Kidneys/Bladder
Orange - Joints
Brown/Black - Liver
Green - Gallbladder
There are a few other signs of detoxification that you may see, including black flecks (indicating heavy metals), white foam (lymphatic mucous), and red spots (blood clots). Needless to say, once the session is over, the water is absolutely disgusting!!
Back to my Spice Wellness experience: The coupon also included Full Body Vibration sessions for 4 weeks, which I attended as regularly as I could with my busy schedule. Between these sessions and the foot baths (I had two), my skin cleared up dramatically and even had a healthy glow with minimal markings! My ND attributed this change to both the foot baths and the vibrations, proving to me that a healthy immune system is critical to managing this problem. The vibrations helped stimulate the movement of lymphatic fluid throughout my body, allowing it to more easily eliminate wastes and toxins that build up there. The foot baths pulled additional toxins out, further helping clear up my skin.
Now, a year later, as I fight my way through to the end of a summer cold (the worst!), my skin is bad again and I know I have a ton of toxins and lymph fluid that needs to be moved out of me. Last week, I had a scheduled foot bath appointment on Day 2 of this nasty cold, purely by coincidence. Going into the session, I felt horrible and just wanted to go home - my nose would not stop running, my sinuses were so plugged that my eyes were constantly watering, and my head hurt. But, I figured I could sit in a chair for 30 minutes, despite how awful I felt.
20 minutes into the foot bath, my water was a dark orange color, but absolutely filled with white foam! It was the worst I had ever seen it, and typically I have a lot of white foam. My boyfriend, conversely, had dark brown water and no foam, which I expected from someone who drinks a lot of diet coke and eats McDonald's almost every day (liver cleanse!).
And, then, almost instantly, as soon as the foot bath was over, I felt so much better. My nose had stopped running, my head hurt only slightly and my sinuses felt as though they'd opened up. For the remainder of the evening and into the next day, I still felt exhausted from fighting this cold, but the congestion had cleared up dramatically. Feeling less congested helped me sleep better, which incidentally sped up my recovery. Whether this is coincidence or not, I have to attest that I felt so much healthier after my foot detox, as I do after each and every one. It may be a farce, but I think there is benefit to taking part in a session every once in awhile.
Ironically, my holistic nutrition school researchers did a study on ionic foot baths and found that no actual detoxification occurs during a session. They determined that the water changed color because of rusting and heavy metal interactions between the water and electrodes. Water composition tested both before and after a session showed no signs of a change.
Whether you believe in ionic detoxification or not, it has helped me both with my ongoing acne battle and to reduce the length and severity of a head cold.
Friday, August 1, 2014
August Self-Care Challenge
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| Source: www.freedigitalphotos.net/ |
I'm not sure how I began receiving daily emails from this health and wellness website called Greatist, but I am impressed by the relevant and knowledgeable content that I find. Teaching my bi-weekly boot camp classes is something I really enjoy, but I do find that I need to switch things up quite often, so some of the exercises this site has discussed are great additions to my inventory. I especially love finding new ways to use my TRX and resistance bands!
This site is fairly new to me, so this may be old news to many people, but I realized yesterday that Greatist sets up a monthly challenge to help people push themselves to look, and feel better about themselves. I'm disappointed that I missed out on last month's challenge - working up to 2 minutes and 30 seconds in a wall sit - but I am happy that I caught onto this exercise just as August's challenge was released!
So, for August, they have changed from a fitness focus to a more wellness-based approach, and offered up a "Self-Care Challenge". Something I often read about, and make a mental note to do more, is to take time for myself to relax and rejuvenate. As an introvert, having time to myself that is quiet and free from distractions is very important to my mental health and overall psychological well-being. However, I keep stuffing more and more into my already too-tight schedule, and find that I have very little time left over to treat myself right. What little extra time I do have, I feel I need to dedicate to sleep!
Today I was challenged to write down 5 things I am happy about right now. In the art of sharing, my 5 are:
1. I have an awesome boyfriend who loves me and makes me laugh often.
2. My "Kitten" is alive and healthy and I have kept her this way for 17 years.
3. I am healthy and able to do almost anything I want to do to keep myself happy.
4. I am finally able to concentrate at work because it's quiet in the office today.
5. The weather is hot and the sun is shining and I am able to fully enjoy and relish in the outdoors
I hope, as time goes by, I am able to look within more for future reasons to be happy, but right now, these things are what makes me happy and I think say a lot about who I am. If anyone else is doing this self-care challenge, good luck to you!
Fruit/Vegetable Cleanse
Detoxification is an important healthy habit that everyone should aspire to, even if it is just on a small level. Meat, dairy, refined foods, alcohol and sugar all contribute to toxic buildup in our bodies; over time, especially without adequate healthy food consumption, these toxins can lead to such diseases as Alzheimer's, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Our bodies do need some of the nutrients that dairy and meat offer, but it is really the 'junk' food that's so readily available, full of chemicals, and provides absolutely zero nutrition that is contributing to North America's rise in cancer and CVD rates.
I have consciously changed the way I eat of the past six years, from a diet high in refined, prepackaged foods, to one that is primarily based upon fresh produce, dairy and lean meats. Recently, I have tried to take this healthful eating approach one step further by drastically reducing my meat intake, implementing 'meatless' days 1-2 days each week, and subscribing to purchase only organic produce, especially those known as 'dirty' products.
For a great list of the "Dirty Dozen" most recently published, check out this printable poster.
Now, as I read more about holistic nutrition and wellness, I am beginning to understand more about how the body processes foods and the benefits that detoxification can bring. My life is pretty hectic and busy, and I am always hungry, so I don't think I am prepared to handle a full 24 hour water-only fast. Instead, my goal is to eat only fruits and vegetables for one day each week (preferably on those days I do not work out, as I find my hunger excessive after a good run or boot camp class).
According to an article by Dr. Lisa Young, there are many health benefits to including more fruits and vegetables in your diet. And, because fruits and vegetables are easily digested, offer many of the essential macro- and micro-nutrients we require, and are known as 'cleansing' foods, opting to eat only these foods for one 24 hour period each week should prove healthful and enlightening.
Today is my first day attempting to try this diet and I am curious to find out how I feel by tomorrow morning. Breakfast consisted of applesauce, cherries and an apricot, and almost 2 hours later, I am starting to feel a tad bit hungry, but honestly, no worse than normal. The hardest part for me is not having coffee, though; I have had some green tea, cheating a little bit. Overall, at 9:30am, I feel pretty good considering I'm running on little sleep after a wonderfully late night watching Wicked!
Hmmm, but by 10:00am, my stomach was rumbling like crazy! Good thing I planned my meals today so that I could have a snack around this time. Thank goodness for Jugo Juice, with their decent selection of fruit and vegetable smoothies that do not contain any yogurt or sorbets (or other fillers). An Abundant Acai was an excellent morning snack choice!
Finding an easy lunch that fit the bill and wasn't just cut up raw vegetables proved difficult. I thought soup would be a great idea, and went searching through the grocery stores for a suitable one. In all my searches, I found one, Amy's Split Pea soup, that did not contain dairy, nuts, or other ingredients not technically allowed on 'fruit/vegetable diet day'. I was surprised at how many vegetable soups contain dairy (usually some cream variant) or pasta (always refined)! Luckily, the split pea soup was quite enjoyable. Of course, my lunch also consisted of a sandwich bag full of baby carrots, cherry tomatoes and red pepper slices, so I couldn't get completely away from the raw vegetables! Currently, I am feeling full after this meal, but I don't imagine it will last long. (I entered my food intake into my MyFitnessPal app to see how I am doing with caloric intake, and I'm quite low - no wonder I'm starving!)
An hour after finishing my lunch, I was feeling very hungry again. My afternoon snack consisted of a cup of strawberries, an apple, and another apricot. Thinking this should tide me over until I get home from work, I opted not to bother with the planned Jugo Juice for today. However, by 2:30 pm, I am starving once again! After a quick walk through the +15 (without my wallet), I decided my stomach's growling could go on no longer...an orange juice was definitely needed!
At this point, my willpower is dropping dramatically and I am starting to crave foods I never want - donuts, cookies, steak...I found a scrumptious-sounding avocado pasta recipe earlier that meets the criteria of this cleanse as long as I swap the pasta for spaghetti squash. At least I have a (hopefully) yummy dinner to look forward to when I get home! Lack of sleep is catching up to me as well. I am very much looking forward to tomorrow morning's breakfast!
By 5:00pm I was starving again! Hastily, I made a meal of spaghetti squash with a blended mixture of half a tomato, lemon juice, half an avocado, and spices, and added chopped carrots and red pepper to it. This was all surprisingly tasty, though I wished I had cooked the pepper a bit. Initially I felt full enough that I thought I could sustain the evening without more food. But, around 6:30 I was hungry again. A glass of orange juice didn't help much and alas, I gave in and had two pieces of toast (with an all natural, all berry spread, so at least that was okay).
All in all, I probably could do this cleanse again, but should aim for 2 days in a row. I felt fine, aside from the constant hunger, and found myself in the washroom a lot more than normal. Psychologically, I know that eating simply fruits and vegetables is going to help cleanse my GI tract and make me feel better, but I crave protein and whole grains after a few hours.
I have consciously changed the way I eat of the past six years, from a diet high in refined, prepackaged foods, to one that is primarily based upon fresh produce, dairy and lean meats. Recently, I have tried to take this healthful eating approach one step further by drastically reducing my meat intake, implementing 'meatless' days 1-2 days each week, and subscribing to purchase only organic produce, especially those known as 'dirty' products.
For a great list of the "Dirty Dozen" most recently published, check out this printable poster.
Now, as I read more about holistic nutrition and wellness, I am beginning to understand more about how the body processes foods and the benefits that detoxification can bring. My life is pretty hectic and busy, and I am always hungry, so I don't think I am prepared to handle a full 24 hour water-only fast. Instead, my goal is to eat only fruits and vegetables for one day each week (preferably on those days I do not work out, as I find my hunger excessive after a good run or boot camp class).
According to an article by Dr. Lisa Young, there are many health benefits to including more fruits and vegetables in your diet. And, because fruits and vegetables are easily digested, offer many of the essential macro- and micro-nutrients we require, and are known as 'cleansing' foods, opting to eat only these foods for one 24 hour period each week should prove healthful and enlightening.
Today is my first day attempting to try this diet and I am curious to find out how I feel by tomorrow morning. Breakfast consisted of applesauce, cherries and an apricot, and almost 2 hours later, I am starting to feel a tad bit hungry, but honestly, no worse than normal. The hardest part for me is not having coffee, though; I have had some green tea, cheating a little bit. Overall, at 9:30am, I feel pretty good considering I'm running on little sleep after a wonderfully late night watching Wicked!
Hmmm, but by 10:00am, my stomach was rumbling like crazy! Good thing I planned my meals today so that I could have a snack around this time. Thank goodness for Jugo Juice, with their decent selection of fruit and vegetable smoothies that do not contain any yogurt or sorbets (or other fillers). An Abundant Acai was an excellent morning snack choice!
Finding an easy lunch that fit the bill and wasn't just cut up raw vegetables proved difficult. I thought soup would be a great idea, and went searching through the grocery stores for a suitable one. In all my searches, I found one, Amy's Split Pea soup, that did not contain dairy, nuts, or other ingredients not technically allowed on 'fruit/vegetable diet day'. I was surprised at how many vegetable soups contain dairy (usually some cream variant) or pasta (always refined)! Luckily, the split pea soup was quite enjoyable. Of course, my lunch also consisted of a sandwich bag full of baby carrots, cherry tomatoes and red pepper slices, so I couldn't get completely away from the raw vegetables! Currently, I am feeling full after this meal, but I don't imagine it will last long. (I entered my food intake into my MyFitnessPal app to see how I am doing with caloric intake, and I'm quite low - no wonder I'm starving!)
An hour after finishing my lunch, I was feeling very hungry again. My afternoon snack consisted of a cup of strawberries, an apple, and another apricot. Thinking this should tide me over until I get home from work, I opted not to bother with the planned Jugo Juice for today. However, by 2:30 pm, I am starving once again! After a quick walk through the +15 (without my wallet), I decided my stomach's growling could go on no longer...an orange juice was definitely needed!
At this point, my willpower is dropping dramatically and I am starting to crave foods I never want - donuts, cookies, steak...I found a scrumptious-sounding avocado pasta recipe earlier that meets the criteria of this cleanse as long as I swap the pasta for spaghetti squash. At least I have a (hopefully) yummy dinner to look forward to when I get home! Lack of sleep is catching up to me as well. I am very much looking forward to tomorrow morning's breakfast!
By 5:00pm I was starving again! Hastily, I made a meal of spaghetti squash with a blended mixture of half a tomato, lemon juice, half an avocado, and spices, and added chopped carrots and red pepper to it. This was all surprisingly tasty, though I wished I had cooked the pepper a bit. Initially I felt full enough that I thought I could sustain the evening without more food. But, around 6:30 I was hungry again. A glass of orange juice didn't help much and alas, I gave in and had two pieces of toast (with an all natural, all berry spread, so at least that was okay).
All in all, I probably could do this cleanse again, but should aim for 2 days in a row. I felt fine, aside from the constant hunger, and found myself in the washroom a lot more than normal. Psychologically, I know that eating simply fruits and vegetables is going to help cleanse my GI tract and make me feel better, but I crave protein and whole grains after a few hours.
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