Get Outside and Take a Sun Bath!!!

 Make sure you get out into the sun and soak up some of those rays!

I know we are heading into the cold months of winter where we feel more inclined to hunker down indoors, but getting enough sun exposure is essential to maintaining healthy levels of vitamin D.

Sun rays are Mother Nature's safe and natural, gift wrapped source of vitamin D.

Benefits of regular sun exposure/vit. D include:
-boosts immunity
-improves metabolism
-better sleep
-improves mood (protects against SAD, seasonal affect disorder)
-increases energy levels
-protects against certain diseases like osteoporosis, macular degeneration, auto-immune disorders, and type 2 diabetes

Make sure that you get out and into the sun everyday!

Plan to meet a friend for a walk outside. Go for a hike. All you need is 20 minutes to an hour a day of sun exposure. Hit two birds with one stone and combine your designated time for exercising with the time you spend in the sun!

What creative ways will you devise to make sure you get your fill of sunshine this month?

Morning Glory Muffins

... and oh how glorious they are!!

Gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, and soy-free!

Keeping with the spirit of health and awareness month, I am sharing these delicious and unbelievably healthy muffins.  They only contain the natural sugars from whole fruits and vegetables and are super easy to make.

Here's the recipe....

Ingredients

1 large granny smith apple, cored and cut into cubes with skin

¼ cup water

½ teaspoon of apple cider vinegar

½ cup dried apricots (chopped)

3 eggs

1/3 cup coconut oil or grape seed oil, (I use 1/8 cup coconut oil and 1/8 cup grapeseed oil)

2 cups finely ground almond meal

1 tablespoon of coconut flour

½ teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 teaspoon of vanilla

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon of allspice

1/8 teaspoon of ground ginger

¼ teaspoon of salt

½ cup raisins

1 cup grated carrots

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Make the applesauce.  Combine the granny smith apple, water, and a pinch of salt in a sauce pan, bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer while stirring until the apple becomes mushy and takes on the consistency of applesauce (about 10 minutes).  Stir in the apricots and remove from the heat. 

In a large bowl combine the wet ingredients: applesauce, vanilla, apple cider vinegar, and coconut oil.

In another bowl mix together the dry ingredients: almond meal, coconut flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, allspice, and cinnamon.

Combine the eggs, dry ingredients, and wet ingredients.  Mix well.  Fold the grated carrots and raisins into the batter.

Place paper muffin cups in 6-8 cup muffin pan and divide batter into cups.  Bake in oven at 350 degrees until muffin tops become visibly golden brown, approximately 25 minutes.

This recipe should make about 12 muffins.

*If you would like to make a vegan version of these muffins, just substitute 3 ‘flax eggs’ for the 3 chicken eggs.

To make flax eggs: 1 ‘egg’ = 1 tablespoon of flax meal and 3 tablespoons of water.

In a bowl whisk together 3 tablespoons of flax meal and 9 tablespoons of warm water.  Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before adding to your batter.

30 Tidbits to Better Your Health

Happy National Health Awareness month! 

To honor health awareness and support you along your journey to good health and wellness,  I will be posting tips, recipes, or healthy fun facts to my blog for every day of the month of November!  I'm calling it '30 Tidbits to Better Your Health'.

If you'd like to have these 30 bite-size health tidbits delivered to your email inbox each morning, subscribe by entering your email address under the 'Follow By Email' heading on the left hand side of the page.

I pass these tidbits of information along hoping that one or two might inspire you to take action towards improving your health and living an inspired life.  Regardless of where you are in your commitment to your health and wellbeing, let these tips serve as a good reminder that it's a culmination of all the small things that we do everyday that create long-lasting and vibrant health.

Let's kick off this month's 30 Tidbits with my #1 health tip for November:  Move Your Body!!!

We all know that we should be exercising regularly, but why is it so hard to get started and stick to it?  Read on to learn more about the benefits of exercise and my top 4 tips to helping you stick to it!

Health Tip #1: Move Your Body

It's official.  We, as human beings, are meant to move our bodies on a regular basis. 

In fact, sticking to a consistent exercise routine is probably the most effective way to improve or maintain our mental, emotional, and physical health.

 Studies show that physical activity improves quality of sleep, helps maintain a healthy body weight, contributes to weight loss, improves mood, protects the part of the brain responsible for memory, and controls insulin levels, therefore, decreasing one's risk of developing diabetes. 

For a more in depth discussion about benefits of physical activity, go to the Harvard School of Public Health's Nutrition Source website. 

BUT, many of us know most of this information - at least know enough to understand that exercising regularly is something we should be doing.  Yet many of us have a difficult time getting started and/or maintaining regular exercise.

Below, I've listed 4 tips that have always helped me get in my exercise groove and stick with it.

4 Tips for sticking to an exercise routine:

#1. Choose physical activity that you enjoy and brings you pleasure.

In other words, find ways to move your body that make you feel excited about the fact that you have a body!  This is so important for two main reasons: 

First, we are more likely to stick with something that is fun and makes us feel good. Makes sense, right?  To reap the benefits of exercise, it is necessary to do it on a regular and consistent basis.  If you derive pleasure from what you are doing, then you are more likely to continue doing it. 

Second, how we think and feel about something has real physiological consequences.   An exercise routine that brings up feelings of dread, punishment, or any other negative thoughts can trigger the release of certain stress-response hormones, like cortisol, that may possibly counter the beneficial effects of exercise, including preventing you from losing those excess lbs. 

There is no ONE right way to move your body, just like there is no ONE right way to eat.  Each of us has different bodies, needs, lifestyles, interests, and health concerns.  Let these aspects of your life be a guide in choosing what types of movement are best for you and be open to it changing in the future.

#2. Plan out the how, when, and where you are going to exercise at the beginning of each week and WRITE IT DOWN.

I find that one of the most effective ways for me to sticking to an exercise routine is to pencil it into my date book at the beginning of each week.  It only takes 15 minutes at the most each Sunday night and then I don't have to think about it for the rest of the week.  I just look at my planner and follow what's written.  Like my mother always says, "If it's written down, it gets done." 

 #3. Be clear on your reasons or motivation for exercising, write them down (or use representative images or quotes) and put them in a place you will see or read them everyday.

So, how many of you have gotten really excited about moving your body on a regular basis, committed yourself to doing it, meticulously written it into your schedule, joined all the appropriate clubs and organizations to facilitate regular exercise and found that a few days in, life takes over and all the voices in your head are telling you that going home, getting in your pajamas, and cuddling up with a book and a slice of pumpkin bread makes WAY more sense than throwing on your tennis shoes and going to Zumba class after a never-ending day of hard work and frustration?  Sound familiar?

When the voice of your highest self (the one that got you to go out and buy that unlimited month of yoga just four days ago) is being drowned out by the voice seeking immediate gratification or resisting change, it is important to clarify the reasons for wanting to exercise.

Writing down the reasons for the changes we are seeking within ourselves reminds us of the bigger picture and helps us overcome those cravings for comfort that take us off the path we have set for ourselves. 

I find that having little notes, images, or quotes representing the changes I want to see in my life scattered around the house really help to serve as reminders and motivators in keeping me on track towards my goals. 

 #4. Find ways to move your body throughout the day - aside from the time you specifically dedicate to exercise.

Choose the stairs over the elevator.  Walk or bike to work.  Park far away from the store entrance.  Take breaks at work and walk around the block.  Stretch your legs before bed.  Do leg lifts while you watch TV.

These small moments of movement contribute to raising overall energy levels as well as making us feel more connected to our bodies.  When we feel energized and connected to our bodies, we are more inclined to follow through with scheduled exercise time. The more we move our bodies, the  the more we WANT to move our bodies.

Remember, it's getting started that's the hardest part. Once we remind our bodies how good it feels to move regularly, we begin to crave it and can't imagine what life was like before we had the gift of joyful movement in our lives.

What kind of commitment have you made to moving your body this month?  Do you have helpful tips that you'd like to share for sticking with a consistent exercise routine? 

Please share in the comment section below.  I'd love to hear from you!

Hearty Red Lentil Stew

This red lentil stew is perfect for early fall's chill and new cravings for warm yummy goodness.

Red lentils are a great source of fiber, folic acid, protein, and minerals.  Combine these nutrition packed legumes with homemade chicken stock, brown rice, and fresh veggies and you have yourself a delicious powerhouse of nutrition (and comfort) in a bowl.

I want to highlight the benefits of using homemade stock for all of your soups and stews.  Using homemade stock adds a wonderful depth of flavor to any recipe.  The taste of a homemade stock is so superior to that of store-bought, once you go homemade, it will be hard to go back to the boxed variety.  Homemade meat stock is an easy and inexpensive way to get some of the key essential nutrients your body needs for tissue regeneration and repair.  The slow and steady cooking process (up to 24 hours) extracts minerals and amino acids from the bones - be that of chicken, beef, lamb, or fish - and vegetables, leaving them in a liquid form that is readily available and easy to absorb.

To learn more about the benefits of bone broth and stocks, visit one of my favorite online resources, Nourished Kitchen: http://nourishedkitchen.com/bone-broth/.  This website is devoted to sharing more traditional ways of preparing food and provides an easy-to-follow recipe for those who are new to making stock: http://nourishedkitchen.com/roast-chicken-stock/

Of course, if you don't happen to have the time to make homemade stock or have any on hand in your freezer, an organic store bought broth or stock will do just fine.

Ingredients
1/2 cup red lentils
1/2 cup short grain brown rice
2 tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1/2 small head of cauliflower, sliced
1/4 head of cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded
3 large kale leaves, julienned
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of grated ginger root
1 in. strip of kombu, hydrates
6 cups of homemade chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 1/2 Tablespoons of Madras Curry Powder
1-2 teaspoons of turmeric
1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
2 tablespoon cilantro, roughly chopped (garnish)
4 tablespoon of grass fed butter, ghee, or olive oil
3 cups of filtered water
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Soak the brown rice and lentils in 2 1/2 cups of filtered water and raw apple cider vinegar overnight or for 8 hours.  You can soak them separately or together.  I soak them together.
Rehydrate the kombu in 1/2 cup of filtered water for 30 minutes before adding it to the stew.

In a cast iron ceramic or stainless steel pot, saute the butter with carrots over a medium to high flame for 5 minutes.  Add the onions and cook until almost translucent.  Add the cauliflower, madras curry, turmeric, and chili powder, cooking until the edges of the vegetables begin to slightly brown.  Add the celery, cabbage, and kale cooking for an addition 5 minutes.  Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.  Next add the rinsed lentils and rice, kombu, tomatoes, and 6 cups of chicken stock.  Bring to a boil, cover, turn down the flame, and simmer for 45 minutes.
When the stew is close to done, add the salt and black pepper ( I like a to add a lot of black pepper to this recipe) to taste and cook for an additional 10 minutes, adding more stock if needed.
If time allows, when the stew is finished cooking, let it stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Serve with a garnish of fresh cilantro.

Serves 3-4.

Bon appetit!

Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie, Take 2 - The Savory

Let me introduce to you the second installation of my two-part Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie Series - The Savory.  This alkalizing elixir will add a skip to your step while addressing chronic inflammation in the body.

Whether you are addressing a known  health issue or taking proactive approach to maintaining optimum health, The Savory is a great way to start your day.






Possible health benefits:

• Full of antioxidants to help protect against cancer, heart disease, and auto-immune illnesses
• Relief from sore joints and muscles
• Increased and sustained energy throughout the day
• A host of other healthy and healing benefits!!!

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon of organic extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon of lemon juice
1-2 teaspoons of turmeric powder
10-15 black peppercorns
1 small tomato
1/4 of an onion
2 raw garlic cloves
1/2 inch. fresh ginger root
1 handful of parsley
1 handful of cilantro
3 kale leaves
1 cups of filtered water
3 ice cubes
pinch of high quality salt

Roughly chop kale, tomato, and onion.  Put all of the ingredients into the vitamix blender, except for the ice cubes, and blend for 30 seconds.  While continuing to blend, add the three ice cubes and blend for another 30 seconds to a minute.

Serves two.

Note: When I cook or prepare food I rarely measure anything.  This can turn out to be a complete disaster or surprisingly magical.  In this case, it turned out to be the latter.  The recipe above is a guess-timate of my improvisation.  

Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie

Chronic inflammation seems to be the underlying cause of many of the common health issues plaguing Americans today - whether it be auto-immune diseases, painful and inflamed joints or muscles,  heart disease, or cancer.  Therefore, it is important to make sure that you are getting plenty of anti-inflammatory foods into your diet everyday.

What foods are anti-inflammatory?  To put it simply, fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, certain kinds of fish like wild-caught salmon, whole grains, and legumes - basically your good old-fashioned whole foods diet.

Below I have shared one of my favorite anti-inflammatory smoothies.  It contains the spices turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon - all three known for their anti-inflammatory (and anti-bacterial) qualities.  I have also thrown some chia seeds into the mix as these super seeds are touted for their high content of Omega 3 fatty acids - another big player in the fight against chronic inflammation.  If you like spice and you like thick, you are sure to enjoy this delicious and energy bestowing beverage.

Ingredients
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
1 Tablespoon of chia seeds
1 in. piece of raw ginger (skin and all)
1/2 large carrot cut into 1 in. pieces
1 frozen banana (approximately 1/2 cup)
1 large handful (approximately 1/3 cup) of soaked raw almonds*
Pinch of Celtic sea salt
1 Tablespoon of raw honey
1 cup filtered water

*soak almonds in filtered water for 4-6 hours or overnight

Place cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, banana, carrots, chia seeds, almonds, honey, salt, and the filtered water into the blender.  Blend until smooth, adding more water as needed for desired consistency.


Take a deep belly breath, think happy thoughts, and enjoy!


Inspired by Julia's Kitchen Golden Smoothie

Maintaining Digestive Health while Traveling

I have been traveling a lot this summer, moving cross country from NYC to Boulder as well as visiting friends and relatives.  Being on the move so much has brought to my attention how traveling can really have an impact on the digestive system.  Therefore, I have put together a few tips about how to keep your digestive system functioning smoothly when you travel.

I follow these four easy tips and so can you.  

1) Drink water!  

If you haven't read my previous blog post, read it here before proceeding.  It is all about the importance of staying hydrated.  One of the many reasons to drink water, particularly while traveling, is that it helps your body to function smoothly and efficiently.  One of those many functions, of course, is the elimination of waste.  Staying hydrated is especially important when traveling by plane because the air inside the plane's cabin is very dry; much drier than your typical indoor environment.  To give you some perspective, normal indoor humidity levels usually range between 30-65 percent.  The air in the cabin of an airplane has a 10-20 percent humidity level.  Hours spent in this dry climate will definitely contribute to dehydration if you aren't drinking enough water.

At the same time, try to avoid alcohol before and during the flight.  Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it increases the output of urine.  Drinking alcohol may increase your risk of becoming dehydrated and possibly contribute to sluggish or stopped up bowels. 

When I travel I always make sure that I am sipping from a water bottle leading up to the flight, during the flight, and after the flight.

2) Move Your Body On Travel Day(s)  

Hopefully, you have already established moving your body on a regular basis, but making sure you get some exercise on the day you travel will be especially important for maintaining digestive function.

Air travel: If you don't have an early flight, go for a walk or a run, ride a bike, pop into the gym, or do any kind of exercise that you enjoy - aerobic exercise is best.  Aerobic exercise increases heart and breathing rate, which encourages healthy peristalsis or movement of food through the digestive tract as a result of the contraction of the muscles of the intestines.  The more efficiently food moves through the intestines, the less problems you will have with digestive issues, like constipation.

Even if you do have an early flight, set aside 15 minutes to stretch and do some deep belly breathing before leaving for the airport.  If you cannot exercise before leaving for the airport, use the time between exiting security and boarding for your flight to do a few brisk laps around the terminal.  If possible, find a quiet corner for a few stretches and deep breathing.  Do not be concerned if (when) people look at you funny.  Just remind yourself of how much more comfortable you'll feel during and after the flight.

Land travel: If you are traveling by car - same thing.  Find time in the day before you get into the car and start your drive.  If that's not possible, make pit stops every couple of hours to walk, move around, and stretch for 15 minutes.

My magic routine before travel? One hour of brisk walking, 15 minutes of stretching with an emphasis on torso twists and calves, and 5 minutes of deep breathing.  I also tend to get a little anxious before I travel and this routine helps me to relax and set my mind at ease.

3) Tread Lightly - Eat Lightly  

Eat lightly the night before and the day you travel.  Traveling in general can be stressful on both a physical and emotional level.  Just getting from your house to the airport and then on to the airplane can be a stressful event, let alone the actual flight.  Even being in a different environment than what you're used to, with different food, water, and air as well as changing your daily routine can be stressful on the body.  This stress, even though it's temporary, can throw your digestive system for a loop.  Eating smaller, lighter meals before and during travel days can help to alleviate some of the stress experienced by the digestive system, thus resulting in less digestive upset.

What does eat lightly mean?
Eat until your satisfied, not until you feel full.  Also, try sticking to healthy and easily digested foods like fresh fruits and veggies (cooked as well as raw), soaked and cooked whole grains, soups, and  herbal teas.  Of course, 'easily digested foods' can differ on an individual basis, so keep that in mind.  For example, if you know that eating raw vegetables leads to digestive upset, then eat cooked vegetables instead.  It's just as important to listen to and get to know what foods work for your body and what foods don't.  This is more important than what I or anyone else tells you.

In general, again keeping in mind what works for your body, try to avoid heavy foods like red meat, dairy, beans*, nuts* and seeds* as these foods can be hard to digest.   You may also want to avoid sugar and overly processed carbohydrates as these are stressful for the body and detrimental to digestive and overall health.

*unless properly soaked and sprouted which increases digestibility

4) Pack Your Own snacks

Sometimes, the foods that are healthy and easiest to digest aren't offered at the airport or on the plane, so I always plan on packing my own.  It takes a little planning and preparation, but boy is it worth it when hunger sets in and there is nothing around but food that means trouble for my digestive system. 

Air travel:
My favorite snacks to pack?
-Berries
-Raw carrots sticks
-Apple slices
-Raw almond butter, microgreens, and banana sandwich on sprouted bread
-Sprouted nut and seed trail mix with dark chocolate chips and dried blueberries
-Dark chocolate bar
-Parsley (yes, I like to chomp on this as is)
-Kale chips



Land travel: If you are traveling by car, pack a cooler full of fruit, carrots and celery sticks, hummus, avocados, homemade trail mix, a jar of almond or peanut butter, some of your favorite whole grain bread, hard-boiled eggs, kefir, and what ever else you like to eat (leftovers from last night's dinner?).  Unfortunately, these healthy goodies aren't always available when you're traversing the states.  Having some good food on hand can help you avoid eating foods of the less healthy kind, thus, helping you to avoid digestive distress. 

5) Don't Rough it without Roughage 

Make sure that you continue to get plenty of fiber before, during, and after you fly in the form of fresh fruits and veggies as well as other plant-based whole foods sources.  Before I travel, I always check out what restaurants, cafes, and grocery stores in the area of my travel destination offer healthy and delicious options.  This way, when I get there I know exactly where I can go to find fresh whole foods.  This especially comes in handy when visiting family or friends for an extended period of time.

Some other helpful hints:
-If you already take a probiotic supplement regularly, I recommend continuing to take it on your travels.  If the probiotic you take is of the variety that requires refrigeration, don't worry.  Just go to your local health food store and ask them to point you in the direction of a shelf-stable probiotic, closest in make-up to the one that you are currently taking, that does not need refrigeration.  If you are not taking a probiotic, I would not recommend starting during your travels.  Often, it takes time to find a probiotic that works with your body, and you don't want to start that process away from the comfort of your home or with out the guidance of a trusted health professional.

Well, friends, I hope these tips help!  They sure have been helpful to me!  Safe and happy traveling!