So what does the Simple Solution Mean?
I decide I want to lose weight, get rid of my bloating, gas, and other digestive issues, look and feel great once and for all and wham, all done. Nope. It didn't take a day to get where your at and it won't take a day to get out! What's Simple is what you should be eating to feel great. Let's face it, we need this body to get us to where we are going. You have plans, dreams, vacations, adventures to go on. A run-down, over-weight, dog tired, stress-out body is not going to take you there. No way, no how. Nutritional info these days seems just way to complex to decipher. The more confusing and conflicting the information gets the more you can say hey, all in moderation, who cares, when my numbers up I's outta here..... Eating healthy, looking great, having a body that is fit enough to allow you to live your life is simple. The hard part it deciding that your ready to do something about it. You need to be aware that with each passing day you are limiting your time of joy! I know I want a whole lot of that.... So if you have a health issue, weight issue, digestive issue, feel like crap and can't get out of bed then we need to talk. The hard part is deciding that you care enough about yourself to make those changes..... The rest is Simple!!!
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I read a lot!
Anything that has to do with food, farming and good health. The book The Jungle Effect has been recommended to me over and over and finally I had the opportunity to read it. Wow! Seems that there are "cold spots" all over the world where certain diseases are virtually non-existent. The inhabitants from these areas only retain their disease-free status when they eat the indigenous food. If they move elsewhere and adopt a more modern diet the incidents of the disease rises to the level of modern times. The factor making the area disease-free is the food not genetics. Each disease has a different "cold spot". There is Okinawa, Japan for breast and prostate cancer. Cameroon, West Africa for bowel issues. Iceland for depression. Crete, Greece for heart disease. This is just to name a few! This book tells stories of patients that have come to see the author, who is an MD, either because they are showing signs of a certain disease or they wish to avoid the disease. With a lot of research and travel to these cold spots the author really delves into the native foods and dishes and finds the scientific reason for the health benefits. This book is fascinating and affirms that what you eat has a huge impact on disease. Check it out and get cooking. Pick the health concern that is most importnat to you and look at the cold spot and the foods eaten there. Gatta go chop some veggies! The Jungle Effect on Amazon!  I have a great memory. When it comes to a "to do" list or "to buy" list I can pretty much wing it! Pretty much! I am not going to lie here, I have gotten into the car after a marathon shop, waiting in line and checking out and found....I forgot the asparagus and I was making asparagus soup for dinner. Hello! Bad language is followed by getting back out of the car and going back into the store. Grrrr! Who has got the time for such nonsense? What a waste of time, not to mention a waste of money as I always find a few more yummy thing I just have to have! So I make a list. Actually I have a list of all the common ingredients I use in my meal preparation, on my ipad and my computer. As I am creating the menus for the week, I check off the stuff that I need to get. Easy! It also helps with a impromptu inventory of what I already have. No more, "yes dear I bought more avocados and we have 4 rotting in the fridge, ouch." They say that for every minute you spend in a grocery store over 30 minutes, you will spend at least $1 per minute. Get out fast! Wonder why they rearrange the store so frequently? It keep you running around in circles looking for the food on your list but passing all kinds of alluring treats. Marion Nestle has written a great book titled " What to Eat" that has a whole section on the psychology used by food stores to get us to buy more food. They are just so tricky. Really interesting and lets you see through the "matrix"! So do a little list building of your own. Once you have the basics down you can add new stuff as you start to add to your diet. Having a list will help you to speed through through the store, save you from buying impulse items, have the food to create complete healthy meals and avoid the need to grab something yucky because there isn't anything in the house to eat. Let me know how you do. 4 ounces walnuts
1/4 teaspoon agave pinch sea salt baby greens 2 ounces grapes, halved 1 stalk celery, sliced 1 ounce red onion, thinly sliced 2 ounces cucumber, sliced 1/2 cup strawberries, sliced 1/2 cup blueberries 1 ounce cranberries 1 teaspoon mint, minced 2 teaspoons pomegranate juice 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1. Toss the walnuts with the agave and sea salt. Toast in a 350 oven until browned. Remove from the oven. 2. Process all the rest of the salad items in a large bowl. 3. Toss dressing ingredients and pour over salad. 4. Done!  Spring is the time for all those cleansing veggies.
After a long winter of heavy warming foods our bodies welcome the spring vegetables and their ability to lighten us up for the hot summer months to come. One of my favorite vegetables is Asparagus. This spring power-house is not only full of folic acid but is a super digestive support food. Folic acid is one of the B vitamins that helps the body produce and maintain new cells. In particular, red blood cell formation is dependent on adequate levels of this vitamin. It may also help cells resist changes in their DNA associated with the development of cancer. Folic acid plays a very important role in pregnancy by significantly reducing the incidence of birth defects known as neural tube defects (malformations of the spine and brain). Asparagus is also high in fiber and protein. Fiber helps everything move on through the system at a healthy rate. Asparagus also contains significant amounts of the nutrient inulin, which is referred to as a “prebiotic.” Inulin bypasses the first segments of digestion and arrives at the large intestine undigested. Because of this, it is an ideal food source for certain kinds of “good” bacteria in our intestines that are associated with better nutrient absorption. So go out and grab a bunch while it is fresh and in season. Two of my favorite ways to cook it is: Roasted with olive oil, garlic and herbs on a pizza pan in a 400 degree oven until brown or Sauteed in a pan with garlic and when browned add some balsamic...yum and so quick. I must admit I will easily polish off a bunch on the way home from the store! Don't forget to make it organic and local if you can! Each of us is a science experiment. We are all unique and are affected in different ways by all the things that we eat and do. Some people can eat junk food and it never seems to affect them. Some never exercise but they appear to be in good shape. For most of us, what we eat matters. When we really start to pay attention we realize that the connection between what we eat and how we feel, look, and think is huge. Do you feel groggy and lazy after lunch? Do you snap or feel irritable with your coworkers or family when you haven’t eaten in a while?
Food changes your mood. Look at caffeine and alcohol. They are the ultimate mood changers. The typical person eats a diet that is high in sugar and processed food and that leaves them in a bad mood. Julia Ross, author of The Mood Cure states that “junk moods come from junk foods”. All those foods that are so easily accessible – french fries, chips, candy bars and ice cream are loaded with salt and sugar and preservatives. Some can make you feel high for a while, but then you drop like a brick as your blood sugar plummets. Ever notice how you crave different foods at different times? When we are down, we sooth ourselves with a bowl of chicken soup – comfort food. We crave protein when we are looking to be focused. We crave food that enhances romance, like spicy food, avocados, chocolate, and chilies when we are on a date. Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers that relay thoughts and actions to the brain. Serotonin can make us feel relaxed. Dopamine makes us feel stimulated. When we eat, food breaks down in our digestive track and creates changes in our system that send messages to our brain via these neurotransmitters. Pasta releases serotonin and thus we feel relaxed after a spaghetti dinner. Eat too much pasta and chances are you will be dozing on the couch. Eating protein releases dopamine and nor-epinephrine in the brain and helps us to be alert. Too much protein and we get short tempered and irritable. When you eat fruits, starchy vegetables, and whole grains throughout the day, you keep your body fueled and your blood sugar level on an even keel. You also are getting vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients. Combining carbohydrates and proteins enhances the availability of serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter said to have a calming effect and to play a role in sleep. So if you're wondering just how food affects you, keep a food journal for a week or two. Write down what you eat, how you feel, your stress level and how your body feels after the meal. This is the first step that I take with each of my clients. It is very illuminating for them to see, what they are eating and how it affects their everyday lives. Once you see what you normally eat and how it affects you then, start to add in foods that will give you more energy, help you to lose weight, and look better. This will keep your moods on an even keel and keep you alert and awake throughout the day. So what can you do to boost your mood? Exercise. You don't have to sweat it out at the gym to make a difference. Go for a walk. Get some fresh air. Get organized! Sometimes clutter can make one feel overwhelmed and mildly depressed. Getting things in place can ease your mind and bring a smile to your face too! Laugh . The simple act of laughter releases endorphins and is shown to improve your mood. Even smiling will have that effect. Listen to music . Put on your favorite tunes and rock the blues away. Perhaps you enjoy soothing classical music. Dance around if you can. Set small, achievable goals . Oftentimes, if our busy lives are broken down into more manageable tasks, we can feel happiness at minor accomplishments. Volunteer . You may think that you do not have time in your busy life, but I'll bet you can find 2-3 hours a month to make a big difference in a few peoples' lives. That is a sure-fire way to feel great! So what’s up will all the juicing you hear about these days?
Juice bars are springing up everywhere. You see health food stores offering juice fasting programs and you have to wonder what that is all about. So here’s the scoop! At a time when so many people are obsessed with supplements – juicing is the most complete and natural form of supplementation around. All the nutrients that a body needs are present in balanced quantities in fresh fruits and vegetables. They are best utilized by your body in their whole form not in separate supplement form. Juices supply us with the vital building blocks for cell regeneration, in this way are true longevity food. Juices tend to satisfy our thirst and therefore we tend not to reach for other less nutritious foods. They are the only beverage the supplies us with real, vital energy . Take a look at Joel Fuhrman’s Green Longevity Drink listed in the recipe section below. My husband and I drink one of these each morning and have done so for the last 21 months. It is filling, satisfying and let me tell you, keep you as regular as anything out there. Imagine chopping all those ingredients and putting them into a bowl and trying to eat them. It would take a lot of time and a heck of a lot of chewing. By juicing them your are extracting their organic water, chlorophyll and enzymes from heaping mounds of fruits and veggies without using any digestive energy.. Enzymes in fresh fruits and vegetables have the vital role of converting food into body tissue and energy. Enzymes are also involved in metabolism, so one of the more valuable health benefits of juicing is that it can increase metabolic rate. Juicing also ensures that the body is getting sufficient amounts of phytochemicals, substances in plants that are considered among the most powerful ways to combat disease. While most people do not eat enough raw fruits and vegetables to obtain the amount of phytochemicals that would make a difference, it is relatively easy to drink enough juice to obtain sufficient amounts of these powerful nutrients. In addition, antioxidants and other immune boosting nutrients are concentrated in juices. Juicing can therefore help to accelerate recovery from illness. In fact, juicing with specific combinations of fruits or vegetables can target particular conditions and improve or alleviate symptoms. A juicer separates the fiber of the vegetables, leaving you with only the pure organic water from the fruits and vegetables. The reason that this is important is that your body is able to digest more organic water without expending any energy or getting full on fiber. The enzymes go right to the cellular level to do their work. Remember, when enzymes can go straight into the cells they can go to work cleaning out the toxins that make your leaner and healthier. So what about those bottle juices? They appear to be fresh but they are not. They have been pasteurized, which kills the live enzymes. Bottle juices don’t count as green juices and should be avoided. So how about those juice bars? It is a good place to get fresh juice but don’t assume that anything you get there is good for you. Many of those chain stores are a made of blended juices with frozen, sugary fruit soy or frozen yogurt. This is distinctly different from what we are talking about as healthy. These are filled with sugar and tons of calories and contain little nutrients. So what about those green powders? They are not the same as green juice. They are lacking in organic hydration. They are better than nothing but real fruits and veggies are the key. When buying a juicer, look for one that extracts the pulp. Breville makes a great juicer. So whether you are going to start juicing at home or know of a store that you can obtain fresh organic juice, juicing fruits and vegetables is a great way to improve your health. You deserve to be Healthy! If you want to watch a great film about juicing and how dramatically it can effect your health check out: Fat Sick and Nearly Dead | a Joe Cross Film |
AuthorI am a digestive health coach. I help my clients have more energy and a eliminate digestive problems by eating food they love! Archives
September 2013
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