HEALTH & WELL BEING & NUTRITION
LIVE, LOVE AND EAT MAGAZINE MAY 2016 | ISSUE 02
EXCLUSIVE!
MAKE YOUR DAY New book release: 5 Things successful people do before 8am
HOW GOING OFF BIRTH CONTROL CHANGED MY LIFE MAKE YOUR HEALTH GOALS WORK FOR YOU
MOTHERS DAY The Healthy way
Simple self care for busy moms Mother love across the world
Why Postpartum Women feels pressured to Lose Weight?
7 TIPS FOR LONG TERM WEIGHT LOSS SUCCESS 3 COMMON HEALTH CONDITIONS THAT CAN NEGATIVELY INFLUENCE INFERTILITY
DO YOU HAVE A THYROID PROBLEM MAKE MEAL PREP EASY
8 EASY RECIPES TRY ONE TODAY
How pain can make you gain weight
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CONTENTS LIVE, LOVE AND EAT
03 EDITOR'S NOTE
04 WHY DO WE AS POSTPARTUM MOMS FEEL PRESSURED TO LOSE WEIGHT?
10 MOTHERS DAY THE HEALTHY WAY
13
MOTHER LOVE ACROSS THE WORLD
EXCLUSIVE!
MAKE YOUR DAY NEW BOOK RELEASE 17 SIMPLE SELF CARE FOR BUSY MOMS
23 ARE YOUR HEALTH GOALS
27 7 TIPS FOR LONG TERM WEIGHT LOSS SUCSESS
ACTUALLY WORKING FOR YOU?
BEST FOOD FOR BUSY MOMS EMAIL: BERNADINE@BERNADINESTHEBODYSRHINK.COM
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HOW PAIN CAN MAKE YOU GAIN WEIGHT All About Thyroid Health
Health conditions that sabotage your fertility
EDITOR'S NOTE May is the third and last month of the season of Spring. I just love Spring, but I am also looking forward to Summer.
How to make meal prep work work you
May is also Mother's Day. Mother's Day is a holiday set aside to honor our mothers. Most all of us owe our mothers so much for all the hard work, love, and patience they showed while raising us. There is nothing quite like the love of a mother. I have dedicated this May Issue to all moms, moms to be out there, if you are not a mom yet this issue is also for you . Be sure to try out the quick and delicious recipes. They are awesome. I hope that you love this issue as much as I do. Love And Wellness
Why Do We Pressure Postpartum Women to Lose Weight? By Jennifer Mourar
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I remember trying on clothes about two months after the birth of my second daughter and feeling frustrated that nothing fit. I had been walking and was even doing short cardio workouts. I was trying to eat healthy foods. Yet, unlike the new celebrity mothers shown on magazine covers and TV shows and basically everywhere in the media, my body still looked pregnant and didn't "bounce" back the way I had hoped it would.
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Unrealistic Expectations The media and diet industry have created completely unrealistic expectations of how women should look postpartum, and how quickly they should be able to lose the baby weight. We are surrounded by "quick fix" diet plans, "Be Bikini Ready in 4 weeks" headlines, and other unhealthy and potentially harmful solutions to postpartum weight-loss. We live in a body-obsessed culture, and there is so much pressure for women to lose weight in an insanely short amount of time and to look as if we never even had a child. This expectation is just not realistic or safe. Some women naturally are able to lose all of the weight within a short amount of time, which is great! However, for many of us it can be a long and slow process. What many women don't realize is that there are so many factors at play during this time of our lives, including hormones, lack of sleep, physical recovery after birth, stress, and nutritional deficiencies that all affect our ability to lose weight and feel like ourselves again.
LIVE, LOVE AND EAT Hormones
Birth Recovery
During pregnancy, our bodies are flooded with
Birth recovery is a factor that is often overlooked, and
hormones that cause many changes to happen.
naturally slows down weight-loss. During this time,
However, after we give birth and expel the
our body puts all of its energy into healing. Depending
placenta, these hormonal levels begin to drop.
on how labor went, and whether you had a vaginal
This can affect our mood, and also lead to
birth with minimal tearing or a C-section, it may take
hormonal imbalances. If you are breastfeeding,
longer for your body to heal itself. Childbirth is a
the hormone prolactin increases, and that tends
natural, but very stressful event for our bodies, and
to also stimulate your appetite. We have no
we need to give ourselves the necessary time to heal
control over these changes, because they are part
before we even contemplate exercise and weight-
of nature. Your body is preparing to nourish
loss. In fact, many other cultures encourage new
another human, and dropping weight, specifically
mothers to rest in bed for the first 2 weeks
fat, is the last thing it wants to do at this point.
postpartum, and to focus on eating nutrient dense foods and nursing their baby. But here in the United States, many families aren't as geographically close as they once were. Mothers, especially those with other children, are expected to (or expect themselves to) jump right back up a couple of days after giving birth and do their regular chores and tasks. Moms that work outside of the home only get about 6 weeks for maternity leave, which is not nearly enough time for the body to fully recover. I had a friend who
Sleep
announced a few days after the birth of her second
Sleep is another huge factor that can help or prevent
baby that she planned to cook the entire Thanksgiving
weigh-loss. It plays a vital role in regulating our
dinner for her family and friends. While this was
hormonal balance, as well as our mental well being.
admirable, it was probably not the best idea for her
Unfortunately, after having a baby sleep is extremely
health and postpartum recovery. If we push our
elusive! It may take months before your baby starts
bodies too hard to resume our normal responsibilities
sleeping through the night. As a result, your sleep is
or to lose weight before we're ready, it can slow down
constantly being disrupted, which makes it difficult to
the healing process, increase postpartum bleeding,
get a deep restorative sleep. Try to make sleep a
affect our breast milk supply, and lead to fatigue. So
priority during this time. Nap if possible. Go to sleep
it's really important that we wait until our bodies have
as early as you possibly can. Once the baby develops
fully recovered from childbirth before we even think
a regular sleep pattern, your sleep pattern will be
about pushing ourselves to lose weight.
regulated as well. But it is important in the beginning
So what can we do in the meantime, while we are
that you make sleep your main priority, second only to
waiting for our bodies to heal and recover from birth?
the baby.
LIVE, LOVE AND EAT There are plenty of fast and easy nourishing foods that you can grab on the run. Some examples are: * fruits * vegetables * hard-boiled eggs * tuna * nitrate-free lunch meats * guacamole or just plain avocado * grass-fed whole milk yogurt * almond butter and apples Making large batches of food in advance helps too. Crock pot shredded beef or chicken, steel cut oats, Nutrition The safest and best way to start preparing our bodies for the weight-loss process is to really focus on our nutrition, which is also essential to our breastfeeding baby's health. This means eating really nutrient-dense foods, such as pastured meats, wild-caught fish and pastured eggs, organic greens and vegetables, carbohydrates, such as sweet potatoes, white potatoes, plantains, squash and steel cut oats, as well as healthy fats, such as pastured butter and coconut oil. It also means cutting back on added sugars, and processed foods as much as possible. It's easy to let processed convenience foods sneak into our diets when we are overwhelmed, tired and stressed out. However, these foods will lead to nutrient deficiencies and will not contribute to our health.
oatmeal cake, egg casserole, steamed vegetables, roasted or baked sweet potatoes or other root vegetables, soups and bone broth are great examples of foods you can make in advance that would be very nourishing for your body. Fermented foods and drinks, such as kefir, unsweetened yogurt, homemade sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha, are great ways to get probiotics into your system. Probiotics help to regulate your immune system, as well as the baby's, maintain gut health, help to prevent constipation, and have a huge host of other benefits. Whole-food based supplements can be very helpful too. Some supplements to consider are a high quality, cold-pressed cod liver oil, which is rich in vitamin D, as well as a high quality probiotic, and a prenatal multi-vitamin. Although you cannot rely on vitamins to supply all of your nutrients, you can look at them as a nutritional insurance policy. Always make sure to find the best quality vitamins. They are not all created equal!
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Movement
Self-Care
If you feel up to it, try to start taking daily walks
As women, nurturing is often part of our nature.
with the baby. Walking is a great way to get some
We tend to focus on taking care of everyone else
movement into your day, without overtaxing
around us, while neglecting ourselves. Yet we
yourself during the initial months after having a
need to learn how to fight against this tendency,
baby. It can help improve your mood, circulation,
so that we can nurture ourselves and make sure
and expose you to sunlight, which is a great
that our own physical and mental wellness are
natural source of Vitamin D. Just make sure to get
taken care of. If we are well, then we are better
cleared for exercise by your health care provider
able to take care of others around us.
first.
If you have already had your baby and feel overwhelmed, do not add the worry of weight-loss to your already full plate. Take a step back, get as much rest as possible, and focus on nutrition and sleep. Once you get these dialed in, everything else will eventually fall into place. Jennifer is a Certified Transformational Nutrition Coach, a Certified Nutritional Therapist and the mother of three small, and highly energetic little children. She has a passion for helping other mothers - - whether a mom-to-be or a seasoned pro - - to nurture themselves and transform their lives by providing nutritional, self-care, and body image support. Add a personalized plan to help you navigate the postpartum period, boost your nutrition, and nurture yourself, take a look at http://www.jenniferfranchak.com/work-withme/postpartum/ She would also like for you to join her community of moms and receive awesome resources, freebies and her free guide, "Ten Simple Changes". http://www.jenniferfranchak.com
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MOTHERS DAY, THE HEALTHY WAY BY DIANE LETCHWORTH Mother’s Day is this month, and we know what that means: Cards, phone calls, flowers … maybe a dinner in a fancy restaurant. Or some jewelry or perfume. While you may still want to send a card and/or take time to call Mom, why not consider some healthier gift alternatives this year? For instance, a lot of conventional florists carry flowers that have been grown using pesticides. And remember that they’re not always seasonal to your local area. (Ever wonder why roses are so expensive on Valentine’s Day? Well, if you live in the Northern Hemisphere, they aren’t exactly blooming in February…. They’ve got to come from somewhere – somewhere far away.) So why not consider a flowering herb, like lavender and rosemary? They’re hardy plants, which can grow under varied conditions, without needing a hothouse.
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Or even an herb like Tulsi, or Holy Basil. Or if Mom likes to cook, you can often find a wide variety of culinary herb plantings for sale, already potted, at your local Farmers’ Market. Many times they’re organic as well. Bonus!! No pesticides to make Mom sick! Speaking of cooking, instead of taking Mom to a fancy overpriced steakhouse, why not prepare a healthy home-cooked meal for her, if you live close enough to make this a feasible option. Again, your Farmers’ Market can offer a bonanza of healthy fruits and veggies, local grass-fed meats, and often even artisanal breads and cheeses.
May is a marvelous time at the local Farmers’ Market in my neighborhood – lots of fresh spring veggies, some early varieties of fruit, and lots of other tasty treats. Certainly plenty of options and choices for a fresh meal prepared with local, organic produce. Many local co-ops and Farmers’ Markets carry other locally made, often organic products. These markets aren’t just for local fruits and vegetables anymore!! For instance, instead of dashing to the pharmacy to buy some nasty, laden-with-synthetic-chemicals perfume, check out your local producers – many people make their own personal care products, for their own use and for sale to others. These soaps and lotions are usually made with local herbs, essential oils, goats’ milk, shea butter, beeswax….
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What they’re not made with are parabens, dioxins, GMOs, sodium lauryl and/or laureth sulfate or any of those toxic ingredients. If you’ve got the time to learn how to make your own, there are numerous places to find healthy, non-toxic ingredients. For instance, Mountain Rose Herbs not only carries the herbs, essential oils, and other ingredients, they also carry the packaging material for lip balms, deodorants, body sprays – you name it!! They also often include instructions in their catalogs, as well as information online. And there are videos for just about everything on YouTube these days…. If there’s something you want to learn, there’s bound to be a tutorial! And if all else fails, there’s always a gift certificate to a local spa where Mom can indulge herself in a relaxing massage, or an organic, non-toxic facial, or some other form of pampering. And remember, if you’re a Mom yourself, you can always drop a few hints to the hubby and kiddos, and bookmark this article with these suggestions – maybe you’ll get what you really want this year!! Of course, it’s still nice if they call or send a card…. Diane Letchworth is a Certified Transformational Nutrition Coach, a Certified Gluten Practitioner, and a Certified Reiki Master/Teacher. She is currently studying Nutritional Endocrinology and Aromatherapy as well. She blogs regularly at www.letchworthsisterswellness.com, the website she shares with her sister Debra, who is also a health coach. .
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MOTHER LOVE ACROSS THE WORLD BY JUDY BROWN
Innocent and I are standing by the hippo pond at Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area in Tanzania. It is the only place you can get out of your car in the park. We stopped for a well needed break and lunch on our last day of the safari
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With great anticipation, Martin and I embarked on our long journey to Tanzania. Martin would fulfill a dream, to climb Kilimanjaro. The trek to the roof of Africa would take six days. I chose to remain in Moshi and find my own adventures. Our B& B hostess, Sandra, organized a three day safari for me and my new Polish friends, Ela and Wojciech. Our guide for this trip, whose name is Innocent, is a 32 year old Tanzanian, one of six children whose mother left them at an early age, a new father of a six week old son, a smart young man, and an exuberant guide. His eyes gleamed and his bright white smile radiated innocence. The words from his mouth were wise and wonderful. The animal and bird sightings, the landscape, the Masai tribe, the drive, the whole adventure, left me breathless. It was one of the most amazing adventures of my life.
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My conversations with Innocent, however, left an imprint on my heart. Our days were full, but hot and exhausting. The dust and sweat stuck to my skin along with the necessary bug repellent and sunscreen. We were camping, and to my utter dismay, I realized I had no bath towel. Innocent gave me his one and only towel. I resisted. He very calmly explained to me that if his long lost mother ever needed help, he hoped someone would assist her. And so, his generosity to me. Innocent went on to explain that trees and plants never meet, but people do. This is a blessing, so we need to be kind to each other. This articulate young man believes we are here to improve on each generation. His father imparted to him all of his knowledge, as this was the key to a good life. Now that Innocent was a father himself, he would give all of his knowledge to his son, and be a better parent. He said he suffers from “no mother love.� While lying in my tent at night listening to all the African noises, I pondered. Have I shared all of my knowledge with my children? Have I honestly learned from the challenges my parents had? Did I provide abundant mother love? I will never forget the lions, zebras, elephants, giraffes, warthogs, or the baby baboons. And, I will never forget Innocent’s smile.
Judy Brown has a BA in Biology from Connecticut College and is a Certified Holistic Health Coach trained by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She coaches women in their mid life years who want to reclaim their health and discover a more balanced and vibrant lifestyle. Judy provides individual and group coaching, workshops, smoothie demos, guided meditations for groups, and is an active blogger. She has two grown children. Judy loves to read, write, walk in the woods, sail, have afternoon tea, and explore the world with her husband. www.judyswellnesscafe.com
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SIMPLE SELF CARE FOR BUSY MOMS BY MESHAELLE PATE
Moms, we are so good at taking care of everyone and everything we often forget to take care of ourselves. We are busy ensuring our children are provided the proper nourishment they need, are on time to school and activities, and have enough time to interact with others. All of that is great but where are you in all of that? When we get so busy taking care of others and forget about ourselves, we get out of balance. It doesn’t take long before you lose your energy and your joy. Every one deserves to be taken care of; I’d even go so far as to say ESPECIALLY moms! I am not talking about the care from others; I mean the care you give to yourself. Taking the time to do something you enjoy just for the sheer enjoyment it brings you. Without GUILT! That is the other emotion us moms feel a lot: Guilt. Why is that? Why do we feel guilty for taking 10 minutes to do something we enjoy? Honestly, is that something to feel guilty about? The reality is, the less energy and joy you have, the longer it takes you to do simple tasks anyway. I have listed five simple steps to help you take small breaks to enjoy yourself again. These are not long involved activities but simple, quick and easy things that allow you to put YOU on your calendar again. See how much more energy and joy you can create with simple activities when you commit to doing something just for the enjoyment of it!
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Wake up before anyone else This does not have to be hours before anyone else, but just enough time to allow you to wake up and set the tone for the day. Start with 15 minutes. Wake up, get a coffee, hot tea, hot water, or whatever you enjoy in the morning. Now this is not a time to pay bills or answer emails for work. This is YOUR time. Read a book, practice yoga, practice gratitude. Go outside and enjoy the early morning quiet. If you are up early, watch the sunrise. This is your time. You made the sacrifice of sleep and this is the time that you get to enjoy a quiet house and do something you enjoy. I find when I get out of bed and start immediately running around working on the house work, getting kids ready, or whatever chore I feel I need to get done, I am more stressed and anxious all day. This easy practice of taking time to get up and enjoy time to myself sets a tone for me mentally that taking a deep breath and enjoying my coffee is okay. No guilt reminder: This is your time! Everyone else is asleep and the housework can wait. You made the sacrifice of your sleep, so enjoy this quiet time because you deserve it!
Eat lunch that you enjoy without electronics Your kids may be young and you eat with them or your kids may be in school and you eat when you can. Either way, turn off the electronics and sense how you are feeling in the moment. If you are anxious, take deep breaths and work on relaxing. There is no reason to have your phone or computer beside you. This is a chance to slow down and eat a lunch that is relaxing. If you eat with your kids, make sure you are eating food you enjoy and not just what you cooked for the kids. You deserve to eat well and have the ability to fuel up for the remainder of the day! Connect with how the food tastes to you. Do you enjoy the taste or are you just rushing through to get to the next to-do list item? Do you want to read a book at lunch? How long are you enjoying your lunch? Most workers are given an hour for a lunch. When was the last time you took a complete hour to enjoy a lunch? No guilt reminder: You are required to eat so you might as well enjoy what you eat! The electronics are just distractions. Using this break gives you energy to face the rest of the day recharged.
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Move! This is a simple, fun way to break up your afternoon. Do something physical you enjoy. Dance, stretch, go for a walk. It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you DO something you enjoy. Have no ideas what you would enjoy? That is okay. Just set some time aside each afternoon to try different things. If you have kids at the house, have a dance party. You can put on silly music have everyone move to the music. This can be 5-10 minutes of just pure silliness. If you have teenagers, go for a walk. Try yoga. Find something you enjoy and do it. The only rule for this time is that vacuuming or running errands does not count. This is movement that you enjoy and is a break from the routine of motherhood. This is a short break for you remember? Find an easy practice of movement that you can incorporate into your every day that allows you to release tension and to enjoy the time. No guilt reminder: How can moving for a short time each day cause us guilt? There is nothing to feel remorse or guilt about. Your kids are welcome to join you in your activity if they want. The more you move, the easier it will be to do all the stuff around the house so this time only improves what you do each day.
Listen to Music while Cooking Turn off the TV and turn on the music while you cook. Find the music that makes you happy and play that while you cook dinner. If it has been awhile since you listened to music that you enjoy, then experiment with different kinds. Find what you enjoy. What music reaches into you and allows you to take a deep breath and relax? Find that music and play it while you cook. You can play it through the TV, the radio, your phone or any other way, but make that your background to cooking. How much easier and enjoyable will cooking become when there is something you enjoy listening to while you cook? No guilt reminder: You are cooking and everyone will get to enjoy a great dinner, so having happy music playing while cooking only makes better. You deserve a pleasant work environment also!
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A nightly relaxation time. Isn’t it funny that we created routines for our children when they were young to help them sleep; yet we don’t have them for ourselves, as we get older? It’s actually pretty sad. We need to have a nightly routine to help us sleep also. Cleaning the house or folding laundry and then falling into bed will not improve our sleep. Our brain likes routines. It signals for us to relax and then sleep. Create a nightly routine that helps you relax and releases the stress of the day. Give yourself 30 minutes each night to just chill. Put your pajamas on and watch TV. If you have problems staying asleep through the night, avoid alcohol. Instead try sparkling mineral water with cherry juice. Cherries contain melatonin and can improve sleep. If TV only makes you tense or awake, try reading a book. The point is to get into a routine that help you relax so you can sleep better. No guilt reminder: You deserve a good night of sleep! The better you sleep, the more you will accomplish the next day. Whatever you feel you need to do up until bedtime will take half the time the next day after a good night of sleep. A routine to sleep better only makes sense and benefits everyone in your life.
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Date your spouse! This is so important in our journey to connect to who we are. You were a woman before you were a mom. Step back into that role at least once a week by dating your spouse. A date doesn’t have to be expensive or even away from the house. One night a week, put the kids to bed and watch a movie together. If the kids are old enough to spend time alone while you are in another room, then let them watch TV, play, or whatever and you go into another room and be with your spouse. You two decide to do life together, tap back into that energy. My husband and I have had a date night for many years. When the kids were young, 6-13 years old, we would go outside and sit on our patio and have a fire in the chiminea and talk. The kids got to watch a movie in the house and we were right outside. We didn’t get a babysitter because we were there. Usually we could see the kids through the windows but we were separated from them and able to have adult conversations. Now that our kids are older, we go out on Friday nights. Friday night date night is the night we connect as husband and wife and it is also the way we step away from work and into family time. Your date night is also a time to remember that you are so much more than a mom. You are a wife and a woman. Step back into that! Don’t let that part of you disappear. No guilt reminder: There can be no guilt when you are working to strengthen the relationship between you and your spouse. Nothing you do for your kids or house is more important than what your and your spouse provide by demonstrating a strong relationship. Meshaelle Pate is a passionate advocate for moms! She is a wife and mother of two teenagers. For many years she was a stay-at-home mom and gave all her energy and focus into caring for her family. She finally realized that she needed to pursue her personal goals but had no idea what those were outside caring for the family. She embarked on her transformational journey by following her long standing curiosity of learning about healthy living. This lead her to receive her certification as a Transformational Nutrition Coach. Through this training, she discovered her passion to help moms discover their own passions and find simple, practical ways to put themselves back on their own calendar. To further this mission, she became a Certified Holistic Life Coach. Meshaelle’s mission is to help moms find practical, mom friendly ways to make time for their passions, their health, and their family! http://www.mpate.com/
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ARE YOUR HEALTH GOALS ACTUALLY WORKING FOR YOU? BY CATARINA CATARINO
Spring time brings with it a cleansing and purging of the old. It also carries a renewed urge to look ahead and establish fresh, healthy choices, the type you make around the new year. We start a new walking routine, we get a workout buddy, we clean up the pantry and we go on a detox. But as months go by, life kicks in and we're back to same old, in a post resolution syndrome kind of way. You can make 1001 decisions for a healthier life, but are they going to be doable? I'm all for trying out new strategies that boost my health, but I'm wary of the post resolution slump that follows when we aim for too many large goals, all at once. Because setting goals we can't achieve comes with self judgement. Truth is, rather than being willpower weaklings we followed goals that weren't aligned with ourselves. How many times have you heard of someone going on yet another diet only to see her weight swing like a yoyo? Or start 6 classes at the local gym to see all resolve gone 2 weeks through? Setting health goals that work for you takes discernment, and instead of jumping right into a diet it's important to assess what you want. First off: Review your Lifestyle You can't get to where you want before you know where you're at. It's like trying to fly to London without knowing which airport you'll leave from. How has this year felt like to you so far, both in your health and in your life? Is it moving ahead the way you planned it to? If you haven’t planned, put pen to paper and start now. In fact, write it ALL down. There’s nothing like a thoughtful review to give you powerful insights.
1. Even though “Health” seems to be a straight forward concept we all have very different definitions around it. Shedding light over your own beliefs can be incredibly insightful. What does being healthy mean to you? (You can substitute for energized, happy, sexy…)
Find what Makes You Tick This is usually where we take the wrong turn. Before deciding which foods you'll eat or how many times a week you want to exercise, in what ways do you expect these changes to change your life? How do you want to feel? Do you want to have a “perfect" diet that leaves you feeling deprived and controlling, or a way of eating that helps you be present and at peace with food and your body? Do you want for your workout to leave you drained and bored, or with an ear to hear smile filled with vitality? We take on new habits because of the experiences they carry, but it’s easy to lose sight of the forest for the trees. If your actions are not aligned with your real motivation the world’s best plan will do little for you, no plan is a match for a person who is inspired from her core. Talk to Your Why Once you have a clear idea of what's fueling your Spring renewal, you want to talk to it, probe it, ask it questions. Maybe you want to boost your energy levels, improve your digestion, lose weight, be healthier overall, or simply smile more and be someone who’s really nice to be around. Let’s pick Health for the sake of this exercise.
2. Is this your own, or someone else's definition? 3. If someone else's, how can you redefine it? 4. Oftentimes we are trying to get healthy without making the connection as to what an abundance of energy will bring and help us achieve. This is when we “fall off the wagon” and feel like we're lacking motivation. The reality is, we haven't tapped into a higher purpose for our efforts. Without it, it's easy to lose steam half way through and slip back into old patterns. Write down how you plan to use the surplus of health you're working towards. How will it best serve you and others around you? How will you honor the gift of health and use it in a way that's sustainable, life giving and fulfilling? 5. Now, let's put words to action. Write down a comprehensive list with all of your best gifts. Things you are good at, that you want to contribute to the world and to those you care for. You can revisit this list and add to it later. Once it's completed, find ways to put those gifts to action, regularly and consistently. This is a beautiful exercise that not only helps bring out the best in you, but that it will also contribute to transforming your relationship with food and your body in a very positive way.
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Start now It's easy to abandon our bodies and go on a binge before we take on a new health regime thinking we'll patch it all up later. But as most health experts will tell you, it's harder to fix damage than it is to prevent it. So go ahead, have the goodies. But have them while you stay present, that way you will enjoy your food more and end up eating less because
From heartburn to indigestion with weight gain in between, these are common symptoms of rushing through dinner and missing out on the experience. The more present and aware at the table, the better you'll prime your metabolism for digestion and calorie burning, not to mention enjoying a meal.
your body had time to register that it's happy and full. Here's how you can stay present: Breathe Before you fill up your plate pause, check in with yourself and take 5 to 10 slow, deep breaths. Breathing slowly will ground you and relax you. It will help you stay alert and make better eating choices. If you haven't yet, check out my free eBook: Breathe (link: http://www.catarinacatarino.com/breathe/) for easy and effective breathing techniques that will help you relax in a matter of seconds. They work! Slow down Take 10 minutes longer to finish a meal. Most of us eat fast and multitask all at once, but did you know that your eating experience is part of your digestion? Meaning: taste, aroma, who you're eating with and the pleasure you get from the meal. Experts call it the "cephalic phase of digestion". Basically a fancy term for the brain phase of digestion.
Develop your "choosing muscle" You had more than your share of food but the chocolate pudding is still staring at you. You do your breathing, you slow down, but heck, you gotta eat it. This may sound counter intuitive, but choose to eat it. Few things are as draining on your energy as doing something without deciding to do it and feeling guilty about it. Exercising your "choosing muscle" will make you a stronger decision maker, both with food and with life. This way, next time you see that pudding dancing it's chocolate charm on you it will be easier to say no, if you mean no.
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Be compassionate Forgot about breathing? Ate too much pudding? Give yourself a hug for noticing and start again, building new habits takes practice! Practice IS the magic word. Check in With yourself and your body, regularly. Pause and breathe deeply throughout the day. You will become more discerning and available to your body's messages. You'll develop your body awareness, and your body wisdom. Your 2 best assets for a transformation that's permanent.
Now, choose 3 things from the list above and put them to practice this week. Keep adding more as weeks go by. I promise one of these days you'll look back and find it hard to believe where you started! Can I take you up on this challenge?
Catarina is a Transformational Nutrition Coach, Eating Psychology Practitioner, Pilates instructor and Tai Chi teacher. Having personally dealt with food disorders and alcohol addictions, she has an in-depth understanding of the effects our mental and emotional state have on health, mood and weight. Uniting nutrition, movement and psychology, her work is integrative. She uses natural methods that help awaken the body’s own healing mechanism, while helping people get to a happy place with food and their bodies – once and for all. Find her at: http://www.catarinacatarino.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Catarina-Catarino1516506735266868/?ref=hl Twitter: https://twitter.com/CatarinCatarino
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7 TIPS FOR LONG TERM WEIGHT LOSS SUCCESS BY MICHELE VONTELL Do you struggle with your weight? Have you lost
It's important to get clear on your WHY.
weight only to gain it all back again and wonder how some people have managed to create long
Why do you want to achieve these results?
term weight loss success? Well, I've got you covered. I'm going to share with you 7 ways you
The more powerful the reason the easier to
too can achieve those results. Please keep in mind
commit to it. For example, "to look good in a
it requires some work on your part but you will be
bikini" may not be motivating enough for some
grateful that you did. Here we go.
women to commit to long term. For some it's to live a long healthy energetic life that keeps them
Setting Goals We live in a high tech world but I truly believe in
active for their kids or grand kids. Whatever it may be for you put it down on paper.
the power of pen to paper when it comes to goal setting. It's a powerful tool.
How will you feel 6 months or 1 year from now
Goals should be clear, concise, challenging, and
when you reach your goals?
have measure. Write down all of your goals and what new habits you need to create in order to
How will you feel if you don't?
achieve them. If you plan to incorporate exercise into your routine then add how often...daily, 3x
How will you handle any challenges that may
week or 5x week etc. It's easy to put off exercising
come your way?
so if you schedule your workouts like an appointment it'll help you stick to it. Also, schedule
Is there anyone who can support you on this
it the same time of day to help form the habit.
journey?
Write down what other action steps will you implement?
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Keep Hydrated
Move Your Body
We hear often about the importance of drinking
Our bodies were meant to move. We weren't
water but we don't always follow that advice. As
designed to stay stagnant for long periods of time.
Brendon Burchard often says "common sense,
Even though weight loss is certainly possible
isn't always common practice". Water can help
without exercise, we can't ignore its benefits:
with weight loss, increase metabolism, and ward
mood stabilizer, increased energy, self confidence,
off cravings. Yep, that's right. We may be mixing
sex drive,metabolism, focus, productivity and
our signals, thinking we are hungry and reach for
improve sleep, just to name a few.
snacks, when in reality our bodies may be dehydrated and asking for water.
You don't have to do extreme workouts. Move your body in a way that feels good to you. Find
How much water should we consume? A good
something you enjoy and will look forward to. It
rule of thumb to go by is taking your weight,
could be walking, yoga, stretching, dancing,
divide it in half and that's how many ounces you
whatever feels right for you.
should drink daily. For example, if you weigh 140 pounds, then you would consume 70oz of water a day. You can infuse the water to enlighten your taste buds. Adding sliced cucumbers, lemons, limes, strawberries, or fresh mint can add refreshing flavor. Google infused waters and you will get some great ideas.
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Mindset Matters This is a big one! It's important to be open and enjoy the process. Our thoughts have a huge impact on whether we succeed long term or not. Let go of the toxic negative thoughts. They don't serve you and will only create added stress and keep you stuck. This habit can interfere in many areas of your life. Give new things a chance. Try not to give up on something if at first it doesn't work. Put it into practice for awhile and see how it goes. It may surprise you. There might come a time when something you have been doing ceases to work for you and creates a plateau or barrier. This tends to frustrate people and may cause them to give up and go back to their old habits. View this challenges as an opportunity for growth and accept that a new course of action is needed. I think of it as a gift and a compliment. It's your body saying "you've been doing a great job and now I know you are capable of even more so here you go". It's like a promotion!
Change the wording. As an example, if you catch yourself saying something like "ugh I hate exercising" try switching it to "I get to exercise today". Then think of how healthy, strong and confident you will feel in your body. This can impact your life in a huge way. Our language is a powerful tool that can help determine whether or not we generate our long term weight loss goals.
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Don't Label Your Food. We are in the habit of labeling certain foods as "bad", "evil", or the "enemy". We try to avoid them at all costs so we don't fail our "diet" or reverse back to old habits. This behavior will actually cause us to crave those particular foods leading to thing we are trying to avoid. Clearly we need a new approach in order to achieve the results we want. Instead, practice viewing these foods in a neutral way and they will lose their appeal after awhile. Instead of saying "I can't have this", say "I choose not to eat this right now". This way you're not saying you will never be able to enjoy this food ever again, you are just choosing not to at this time. This practice was super helpful to me when I started my weight loss journey. I was an emotional eater and pasta was my favorite comfort food (though pizza & chips were the next runners up) and I ate it quite often late at night. I knew I needed to curb that behavior however I also knew that if I took off the table forever it wouldn't last. I am half Italian so never being able to eat that again wasn't realistic. So I looked back at how long I've been consuming this food in excess and thought, "I've had enough pasta in the past year to last a lifetime so I'm going to give my system a break for awhile and choose other healthier options for the next 3 months. After that if I want some then I will have it. As you can see, I didn't permanently take it out of life, just temporarily. The interesting part about this is when 3 months came up I had no desire for it. Even if I went to an Italian restaurant I had no desire to order it because I didn't view as "bad" anymore. It served me for the time I needed it and now it doesn't. Those cravings no longer exist. Does this mean I haven't had pasta at all since? I have on occasion, like at a dinner party, however my portions are typically small. I've come to realize that I don't like the way I feel after I eat it so it's not something I prepare at home anymore. In fact I've come to love spaghetti squash much better. You may find yourself experiencing something similar when you let go of the labeling.
Also, if you find yourself in a position where a particular food you have deemed as "bad" comes along your way, ask yourself "will eating this get me closer or further away from my goals, How will it make me feel after?" We tend to reach for foods that don't align with our goals when we are stressed, bored, frustrated etc. Instead, set up a healthier more empowering strategy when these feelings arise, like going for walk, taking a bubble bath, read, paint, draw, call a friend, review your written goals or whatever you enjoy doing.
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Meal Success. In our busy hectic lives its not uncommon to hit a fast food joint or order take out when crunched for time or feel too tired to cook dinner. Preparing meals in advance will help set you up for success. This way all you need to do is heat it up or serve as is depending on the dish. Making meals on Sundays and Wednesdays are ideal as it allows for leftovers. Keep healthy snacks on hand if you are on the go like nuts, seeds, cucumber slices. At home having your veggies all chopped and ready to eat makes life so much simpler as well. Support and Accountability A critical piece to create long term weight loss success is having support and accountability. The road to weight loss can be fun but also challenging at times. It's not uncommon to feel stuck and frustrated. Going about it alone is very difficult and therefore will make it easier for you to come up with excuses as to why you can't or shouldn't continue. That's why having someone there beside you along the way can be the catalyst that drives your success. This has been the common denominator for so many success stories. There will be times you fall off the rails, the important thing is to pick yourself back up. Having someone along side you can not only help you back up but also keep you on track. There are a few ways you can go about this. You can hire a coach, get a friend to join you on the journey, find an online community with like minded people, that's designed for this type of support. Whichever avenue you choose you should feel guided, inspired and challenged to be your best and rock your goals.
Michele Vontell is a Transformational Nutrition Coach helping women to build a healthy relationship with food and body so they can lose weight, end unwanted eating habits and feel confident in their body. She helps her clients transform their lives by teaching them effective strategies that deliver long term results, allowing them to finally break free from the cycle of body shame and yo-yo dieting for good. By creating new and empowering habits, they can make peace with food, discover a new zest for life and develop unconditional love for their body. You can learn more from Michele at: www.michelevontell.com Instagram - MicheleVontell Facebook - Michele Vontell Transformational Nutrition Coach Twitter - @MicheleVontell
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HOW PAIN CAN MAKE YOU FAT BY DANIELLE LITOFF
You’re trying to do everything right - you have been
Long ago in the evolutionary process, our bodies
working out like crazy, haven’t eaten cake let alone
held on to weight whenever it was under stress.
bread for ages, you sleep 6 - 7 hours a night, you’re at
This allowed our ancestors to survive periods of
the gym at 6 AM at least 5 days a week.
famine. Those who were able to hold on to fat
Your shoulder bugs you every time but it’s not so bad
survived, and those people became our ancestors.
that a few Advils can’t ease it. Despite ALL of this, the
That means you can thank your Great Grandma
scale hasn’t budged and your pants aren’t any loose.
for making you SO very good at holding on to fat.
The classic theory of counting calories in and out is
Nowadays, if our hormone levels get out of whack
outdated and can do more harm than good. To quote
(from illness, medications, diet, etc.) our body goes
JJ Virgin, “your body is a chemistry experiment not a
into that same protective mode as if it were
bank account.”
preparing for famine, thus it holds on to weight.
Metabolism is what drives the body’s fat burning
Now you’re probably thinking “what can I do to
system. How your body burns calories, uses energy
control this stress reaction?” First you need to
and loses weight, is dependent on multiple factors.
understand the connection between the brain and
Metabolic function, and thus weight loss, is based on
the body. Imagine our nervous system as a 2-sided
our hormones. Hormones are chemical messengers of
coin – one side is the sympathetic and the other is
the body; they send the signals to promote cellular
the parasympathetic. The sympathetic nervous
function. These hormones produce the chemical
system controls our Fight or Flight response (FoF)
reactions that govern everything!
which shifts into gear when we are stressed. The parasympathetic is responsible for our Rest & Digest (R&D) phase.
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Exercise is important, our bodies were built to move AND rest. When we move correctly our body will increase metabolic processes, allowing it to use energy and produce metabolic waste. Detoxing this waste is a crucial part of weight loss, so if we don’t rest and digest the liver can’t access the nutrient chemicals needed to detox the body. Imagine this scenario: You’re out on a walk and
These metabolic toxins build up and the body
you encounter a tiger. Your body immediately
thinks “I need to get this toxic stuff far away from
kicks into Fight or Flight mode and floods your
my brain, my heart and my lungs!” If the body can’t
system with cortisol, which is a stress hormone
break down the fat soluble toxins, it wraps them
that helps mobilize glucose to the muscles so you
up safe and sound in a fat molecule and stores it
can run, jump or fight. This rush of cortisol
somewhere safe, far away from the brain and
increases your heart rate and helps push more
heart…like on your ass.
blood and energy to the muscles so you can dart
In our society today we tend overdo things. The
to a tree and climb like your life depends on it.
first person to complete the 26.2 mile run to
When cortisol rises it stops the non-essential
Marathon died, but for some reason we all think it
hormones from working. As you run from that
is a rite of passage as an “athlete.” It’s important to
tiger you really don’t need to ovulate, digest your
understand that stress to the system in small
food or regenerate healthy skin – you just need to
doses allows us to grow stronger; too much stress
get the hell out of there.
and we break down.
That’s the way it’s supposed to work. Once you get to the tree, the tiger goes to find someone else for dinner. Now it’s time for R&D so I hang out drink some coconut water and relax. The cortisol will drop and everything else starts to work again. Cortisol is important for short term stress, but when we have chronic stress, the continual release of it becomes a problem.
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Physical stress such as exercise produces a spike in cortisol, which can be good. We need to exercise to break down tissues and encourage it to heal bigger and stronger. The problem occurs when we keep stressing the system without rest. The body cannot keep up with cortisol production and the adrenal system starts to fail (exhaustion). When the adrenals are exhausted, sex hormone production is lessened so you can say goodbye to the idea of six pack abs. Pain is also seen by the body as a stressor, depending on the intensity and frequency, a chronic stressor. Therefore, the body responds by increasing cortisol production and goes into flight or fight mode whenever it’s stimulated. Physical pain can continue to increase and spike cortisol which ultimately changes our body’s healing process and starts a chronic pain cycle. As a physical therapist, I work to figure out why pain keeps occurring, then we work to change the patterns of muscular strain. Other important variables to address are diet and stress relieving activities to increase healing process and stop the downward spiral. Remember: train smarter not harder. Pain is a signal from your body, begging you to stop (we’re talking about sharp, localized pain, not the muscular burn of activity). Your body will not get stronger through pain, it gets weaker, less tolerant and less efficient.
What can you do about all of this? 1. Modify the movement or amount of resistance to reduce the pain 2. Rest! Sleep at least 8 hours, try for that 7 days a week. If you are getting less than 7 hours a night, it isn’t worth it to get to the gym. 3. Workouts should be short and intense, but not every day. Studies recommend 2 to 3 days consecutively then 1 to 2 days of rest. You can have active rest days using a walk outside or yoga for recovery. 4. If you notice on an exercise day you are more exhausted, your body is showing signs of adrenal fatigue, force yourself to take a break. 5. Eat nutrient dense whole foods - not processed bars, or shakes. Clean, organic proteins and LOTS of veggies for the nutrient profile that helps with anti-inflammation and detox. 6. See a physical therapist to evaluate the movement dysfunction that is causing the pain. A good therapist can determine why the pain is continuing. With a good rehab program, the muscles can be re-trained and restored. 7. Remember self care is not selfish. When you spend time caring for yourself, you can recharge your own battery and then have time and energy for others.
Danielle is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a Health Coach. She is the co-owner of Battle Born Health in Reno, NV and has been practicing physical therapy for 20 years. Driven by her personal health issues, she completed training under the Kalish Functional Medicine Mentorship program and is certified as a Transformational Nutrition Coach. Danielle is passionate about finding the root cause of the problems, whether they are muscular, hormonal or dietary (and usually they are a combination of all) and helping people find the answers on how to become stronger than yesterday. You can learn more from her and her work at : http://www.battlebornhealth.com
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MAKEÂ YOURÂ DAY 5 THINGS SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE DO BEFORE 8 AM BY MICHELLE L BROWN Success. It's something we all want. Too many people, however, think finding a truly successful and fulfilled life takes way more work, street smarts, and energy than they could ever possess. What if they're wrong? What if the secret to success is found in your daily routine? In Make Your Day, you will find how daily habits actually determine the direction of your life. You will learn five things successful people do every morning to be their best and how you can harness the power of these five things to transform your own life! Make your day will be on Amazon for Free from May 1st and May 2nd. Be sure to go and read Make Your Day .
After spending way too many years staying in the same place, Michelle finally woke up one day to realize she wasn't where she thought she should be in life. Broke, chronically ill, miserable and depressed, Michelle realized it was time to make some changes. Michelle found the power of simple habits to transform her own life, and now she has a passion for sharing with others what a few simple changes in their daily routine can do for their lives. A Certified Transformational Nutrition Coach, Michelle can be found at overcomingauto.com where she blogs about healthy living and achieving a successful and fulfilled life.
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DO YOU HAVE A THYROID PROBLEM? WHY YOU CAN’T LOSE WEIGHT -- BUT YOU’VE LOST YOUR ENERGY, A LOT OF HAIR, SLEEP, YOUR LIBIDO, AND, MANY DAYS, FEEL YOU’VE LOST YOUR MIND. BY JENN KRUSINSKI
Does this sound like you? Weight has been creeping on, yet you haven’t increased your food intake. In fact, no matter how little you eat nothing seems to budge the number on the scale! And exercise? You either work your booty off at the gym, are running more miles each week, or maybe you’re too tired to even think about exercise. Do you suffer from insomnia, dry skin, constipation, body aches, IBS, acne, bloating, or fatigue? Now, it COULD very well be that you’re just eating too few calories or the wrong KINDS of foods or more food than you realize. It could be any number of things. But let me say this. It could very possibly be your thyroid.
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My Story
I started researching and finding similarities with my symptoms and hypothyroidism, yet was
Believe me, I know. I was you once, too.
questioning myself over and over. After all, my family doctor always scoffed at my questions
I think most health coaches have one health event
about thyroid disease. He felt too many women
that leads them to want to help others, and mine
are looking for an excuse rather than changing
was my thyroid journey. Now that I know more, I
their diets. (%$@#*&!) So I analyzed myself. I ate
can trace symptoms and events that lead to my
more, then ate less; and exercised more then, ate
Hashimoto’s, Auto-Immune Thyroiditis, long
‘cleaner”; and yet…nothing. So, finally, I demanded
before I even recognized them. But the defining
tests.
years for me were when I was a new mom. Tests Round One: Because my doctor didn’t It started with crushing fatigue, mood swings and
understand the correct tests for a comprehensive
sleepless nights. I didn’t sleep through the night
thyroid panel, and because he wasn’t looking for
for twelve long years – so much for rest and
OPTIMAL numbers, he told me I was FINE. He told
repair! I told my gynecologist, who never checked
me again, to eat less and exercise more.
my thyroid, but did prescribe an antidepressant. For five years I took that pill, believing it was
Tests Round Two: I sought out a well-respected
making me better.
endocrinologist. SHE diagnosed me properly with Hashimoto’s, told me I would have it for life, and
Not only was it not addressing the root of my
gave me a replacement hormone prescription. It
symptoms – still crushing fatigue, insomnia,
helped, but I was at the point, when asked if I felt
resistant weight loss, digestive issues, – it never
normal, I said, “It’s been so long, I don’t know what
really addressed the depression either. If I’d only
normal feels like anymore.” We never once
known then what I know today. A body with a
discussed nutrition.
sluggish thyroid WILL feel depressed without proper care.
Tests Round Three: After we moved I had a hard time finding a new doctor. No longer under doctor
Before I get to that, sharing what I know now so
care for a prescription, I’d begun changing my diet,
that YOU can become your best advocate, let me
as I read in so many online articles how food DOES
describe my experience with labs and doctors
affect our physiology, AND can especially help
who just didn’t understand.
Hashimoto’s. But I was still feeling off. The new Endo took labs, read them according to ‘normal” not “optimal” and told me I didn’t have any thyroid issue.
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There lies the crux of the problem. Too many allopathic doctors, not all, but many, aren’t aware of the Normal vs. Optimal lab numbers. They also don’t listen to patients who are still experiencing symptoms – like hair loss, weight gain, brain fog, severely dry skin, sensitivity to cold -- the list is long. Once some doctors review labs and see that numbers look “normal” they send you on your way. So, back to you and your weight gain or weight loss resistance! Could YOU have a thyroid problem? Consider these facts: More than 12 percent of the U.S. population will develop a thyroid condition during their lifetime. (Thyroid.org) An estimated 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease. (Thyroid.org) Up to 60 percent of those with thyroid disease are unaware of their condition. (Thyroid.org) 90% of people with Hypothyroidism, (sluggish thyroid, the type that leads to weight gain) have the autoimmune form of thyroid disease, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. (Science Direct) 1 in 10 women have Hashimoto’s. (Hashimoto’s Institute) So, yes, it’s quite possible you DO have a thyroid problem. And, based on statistics, let’s even assume it’s Hashimoto’s. Which means you’re not crazy after all!
The key to knowing though, is proper testing, followed by proper lab review. Analysis can be executed by a knowledgeable Endocrinologist, a Functional Medicine practitioner, or a even holistic health coach who specializes in Thyroid Health. (You might consider that a self-plug, but really it’s not. I would love to help you. I don’t diagnose, but I can review labs and offer guidance. So can a lot of health coaches and practitioners. Just find the right one!) So, what labs do you request? When you approach your doctor, ask for a Complete Thyroid Panel. Bring your checklist and make sure she agrees to the following: TSH, Free T4, Free T3, Reverse T3, Thyroid Antibodies TPO and TgAb, B-12, Ferritin, 25Hydroxy vitamin D Maybe in another article we can discuss what all of this means. In the meantime, if you are experiencing symptoms, get tested. And once you have your labs in your hand, review the results with your doctor or another practitioner to know if you are in the optimal range. If you aren’t optimal, and/OR you are still experiencing symptoms, then it’s time to change course. I know what you’re thinking, “Ok, but THEN what? HOW do I lose weight? How do I lose my symptoms?” Well, there are several steps involved in getting back to YOU.
LIVE, LOVE AND EAT Steps to Managing Hashimoto’s Step One: If you have a doctor who is willing to work with you, hormone medication or supplementation is one step. While some clients are able to manage Hashi’s without meds, many will still need some sort of hormone. That’s OK. As long as you are taking the right one, typically a natural one that supports T3 production, that is just fine. Actually, that’s GREAT! I think many people in the holistic world are against using ANY medication. Trust me, it’s a wonderful goal and I, myself, try to use as few as possible. But MY goal for myself, and for my clients, is FEELING better. If supporting my thyroid to feel better means supplemental hormone, I’m in. As it is, my thyroid was so far gone at the time of my diagnosis, I am still using replacement hormone, but at a much, much smaller dose, thanks to the other steps I have implemented. Step Two: Your foods will change. There’s no “buts” about it. If you want to lose weight with Hashi’s, (and erase many other symptoms!) you’ll need to remove the foods causing inflammation, starting with processed foods, gluten and dairy. After all, what is weight gain? Inflammation. When you remove inflammation, you remove weight! On the bright side, you will add more nutritionally dense foods. Real foods. Lots of them. Some food you may even bring back. What matters is that you will feel and look better! Step Three: Stress reduction. You will learn to manage your stress, both internal and external, and become more mindful in your day-to-day life. This will promote quality sleep and encourage you to take extreme care of yourself. Sounds good doesn’t it?
So, you may be thinking. “Why can my friends go on a simple diet and lose weight? Why do I need to do all of this?” Well, remembering the statistics, you could possibly be that 1 in 10. IF you have a thyroid condition, your metabolism is riding the brakes…hard. It needs your help to get it juiced again. Maybe this explanation about how Hashi’s develops will help. How Hashimoto’s Develops Hashimoto’s has been compared to a perfect storm AND a three legged stool. The perfect storm is the combination of your genetic predisposition, a leaky gut, and some form of stressful environmental factor or event. Environmental factors are internal, such as an imbalanced gut bacteria or food reaction, and external, such as chemicals, heavy metals, or STRESSFUL SITUATIONS. With the three-legged stool analogy, imagine all three factors -- genetics, environment, and leaky gut, -- as legs of a stool. The stool represents Autoimmunity. However, when you remove one or two legs of the stool, the stool will fall. Your autoimmune condition may even go into remission.
LIVE , LOVE AND EAT We can’t change your genetics. But we can change their expression, (NCBI), by managing our Hashimoto’s. Leaky gut is reliant on a poor diet. Fix your diet, heal your gut, and manage your Hashimoto’s. Your environment can change with correct nourishment, probiotics, reduced chemical exposure, and limited stress. Change your environment and manage your Hashimoto’s. When you manage your Hashi’s, your weight, hormones, emotions, and YOU become balanced. Does this sound too overwhelming? As I write this I am thinking, “Is this too much?” I decided, “Yep, it kinda-sorta is a lot to digest, but your thyroid and symptoms are too important to ignore.” Yes, your thyroid is responsible for your metabolism, meaning, your weight. But it’s ALSO responsible for regulating all bodily functions – cell function, brain development, heat and nervous system functions, breathing, muscle strength, skin health, menstruation, and hormone levels. SO, read this article, and then re-read it. Check my symptom checklist http://www.jennkrusinskiwellness.com/#!blank/hslwm Ask your family if THEY have these same issues. And, talk to your doctor. Oh, and a final note on THAT conversation. Be Your Own Health Advocate Before you see your doctor, empower yourself! Make a list of ALL your symptoms. Think back to how long you’ve had them and how they affect your life. Present them all to your doctor, don’t just focus on the weight issue. Sadly, in my experience, the topic of women and our weight seems to make doctors’ eyes glaze over! Show your doctor the exact labs you wish to have. If her reaction is anything other than, “Great! I see you’ve done your homework and want to work with me as a team, and as an advocate for your health!” Then find a new doctor. They are out there. www.functionalmedicine.org www.thyroiddoctors.com So, maybe you have a thyroid issue, maybe you don’t. Either way, your body is telling you something when you have symptoms, when you can’t lose weight. It’s not about willpower. But, it IS about self-advocacy and digging deep and listening to your body and spirit. The best news is that the answers are out there. Jenn Krusinski CTNC, is a holistic health coach serving women who want to get back to who they are meant to be, living their health potential, loving every inch of themselves, appreciating and seeing just how amazing they truly are, through Eating, Living, and Being, REAL. Her specialty is Hashimoto’s and she calls her clients with Hashi’s her Hashimamas. You don’t have to have Hashi’s to work with Jenn, but you DO need an open mind and a willingness to see new possibilities. Learn more about Jenn at: http://www.jennkrusinskiwellness.com
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ARE THESE HEALTH CONDITIONS SABOTAGING YOUR FERTILITY? BY SUSAN TESSMAN
Here’s a look at 3 common health conditions that
How it impacts fertility: Lack of ovulation or
can negatively impact women’s fertility and 3
irregular timing of ovulation
foundations for reproductive health that can help heal them.
Medical Treatment: PCOS is typically diagnosed
1. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
when a woman has a combination of the following conditions: 1. Irregular or no periods; 2. Tests
What is it?: A complex hormone imbalance
showing high androgens or symptoms of high
syndrome characterized by inflammation and
androgens 3. enlarged ovaries containing multiple
insulin resistance and an overproduction of male
small follicles (polycystic ovaries).
(or androgenic) hormones. It’s estimated up to
Metformin, a drug used to treat Type 2 diabetes, is
10% of women have PCOS and it’s one of the
often prescribed to help control the amount of
leading causes of infertility in women.
glucose in the blood. Hormonal medications like
Common symptoms: irregular or no periods,
the birth control pill may be used to help create a
miscarriages, weight gain and insulin resistance,
regular menstrual cycle, but this doesn’t solve the
elevated levels of androgenic hormones causing
root problem and also prevents pregnancy.
acne, hair loss, pigmentation of the skin, oily
Clomid is commonly used to hyperstimulate the
scalp, increased facial hair growth
ovaries to ovulate.
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Natural Treatment: A low glycemic, antiinflammatory diet, and consistent exercise plan are essential to controlling PCOS insulin resistance and inflammation. Effective supplements that are used include combination myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol, berberine, fish oil, N-Acetyl cysteine, Vitamin D, magnesium. 1. Endometriosis What is it?: A chronic inflammatory disease in which tissue similar to that of the lining of the uterus implants and grows outside of the uterus. Endometriosis tissue can attach to the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bowel, bladder, lining of the pelvic cavity, ligaments or other areas. These lesions are sensitive to estrogen, so they swell and bleed with every menstrual cycle, causing internal bleeding and extremely painful inflammation. Adhesions and scar tissue can form and cause organs to stick to each other and parts of the pelvic cavity. Endometriosis affects an estimated 1 in 10 women in their reproductive years approximately 176 million women in the world. It is estimated that endometriosis accounts for 25 to 50% of fertility issues in women. Common symptoms: There are 4 diagnostic stages of endometriosis, based on the amount of growth, location and depth of the disease, and it can only be definitively diagnosed visually via a laparoscopic surgery. Symptoms include severe pain with periods, or general pelvic pain, heavyperiods, long or abnormal cycles, swollen abdomen, ovarian cysts, pain with bowel movements, bladder pain, pain with sex, low back pain, infertility
How it impacts fertility: Women with endometriosis have an increased risk of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy. Excess tissues growing create inflammation and may block an embryo from implanting. Internal damage to the fallopian tubes from scar tissue can block the tubes, and ovulatory function can also be affected. Changes in the hormonal environment can decrease the quantity and quality of eggs. An auto-immune reaction to the misplaced tissue may attack the uterine lining and cause miscarriages. Medical Treatment: The gold standard treatment for endometriosis is excision surgery, where the tissue and adhesions are removed. Hormone suppressing medications are often prescribed to stop the menstrual cycle, and prevent further growth of the lesions. Interestingly, the same Metformin used in PCOS therapy is also being studied as a new therapy for endometriosis to help with inflammation and estrogen suppression. Natural Treatment: Since many experts believe there may be an auto-immune component to the disease, it’s important to heal the digestive tract by identifying individual food intolerances, and eating an anti-inflammatory diet as well as balancing blood sugar. Due to the estrogen sensitivity, assisting the body to clear excess estrogen with nutrition and reducing exposure to xenoestrogens (estrogen mimicking chemicals) are also key approaches. Recommended supplements include turmeric or curcumin as an anti-inflammatory, selenium to modulate immune function and assist with the production of progesterone, zinc to help repair the gut and decrease inflammation, estrogen detoxing DIM and Calcium D-Glucarate, berberine, fish oil, N-Acetyl cysteine.
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2. Thyroid disease
Medical Treatment: Thyroid hormone
What is it?: The thyroid gland is a butterfly
medication to bring hormones into normal range.
shaped gland at the base of the throat producing thyroid hormones (T4 and T3) which help regulate
Natural Treatment: If it’s determined you have
the body’s metabolic processes, including
Hashimoto’s, then following an autoimmune
digestion, detoxification and ovulation. It can be
disease nutrition and lifestyle protocol is very
affected by environmental toxins, genetics, stress,
important. Specific supplements that support
nutrient deficiencies, other hormone imbalances,
underactive thyroid function include selenium,
or auto-immune dysfunction. It’s estimated now
iodine, and l-tyrosine
that 5 to 20% of women in their reproductive
What do these conditions have in common?
years have a thyroid condition, and that up to 90% of these hypothyroid sufferers actually have
Women with endometriosis and PCOS commonly
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, an auto-immune disease
also have thyroid disorder. Multiple hormone
which causes an underactive thyroid
disruptions and inflammatory conditions often co-
(hypothyroid). You can also have a hyperactive
exist. There are common underlying factors, and
thyroid (Grave’s disease) but this is much less
addressing these are foundations for hormonal
common.
balance and improved fertility. Clean Up and Calm Down – 3 Key Foundations for
Common symptoms: infertility, miscarriages,
Reproductive Health
irregular periods or period pain, fatigue, brain fog, cold extremities, stubborn weight gain, dry or
1. REDUCE INFLAMMATION
thinning hair, constipation, consistently low basal temperature (below 36.5C first thing in the
Dietary and environmental toxins may build up in
morning)
the body, turning the immune system on and keeping it highly reactive. Inflammation can
How it impacts fertility: Good thyroid function is
disrupt ovulation and impair progesterone
necessary for fertility, the ability to conceive and
production. Chemical messengers can block
to maintain a pregnancy. It can affect your
hormone receptors for your progesterone and
fertility by causing luteal phase problems where a
thyroid hormone, and hyperstimulate estrogen
fertilized egg can’t implant securely, higher
receptors - all of which are going to contribute to
prolactin levels resulting in irregular ovulation
endometriosis, PCOS and thyroid disease.
or no ovulation, and contributing to excess estrogen levels, progesterone deficiency and
We can clean up our internal landscape by
lowered sex hormone binding globulin, all of
reducing exposure to inflammatory foods and
which interfere with proper reproductive
chemical burden.
hormone balance.
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Top inflammatory foods to avoid include: • vegetable oils - for the most part made from genetically modified crops but also are heavy in Omega 6 fatty acids which when over-consumed promote the production of inflammatory prostaglandins
Foods that reduce inflammation:
• sugars – highly inflammatory and suppresses the immune system
Choosing mostly whole, nutrient dense, organic
• conventional meats - may have considerable
foods reduces exposure to toxic chemicals,
exposures to antibiotics and hormones which
pesticides and hormones, so go for
disrupt our own hormones
• free range, grass fed meats and wild-caught
• pasteurized dairy - the A1 casein protein in dairy
salmon
can stimulate an inflammatory response by the
• coconut and other nut milks
immune system in many people, and dairy
• a wide variety and rainbow color of organic
products often contain disruptive hormones and
veggies
other toxins.
• fermented foods
• gluten - gluten protein promotes intestinal
• gluten free grains like quinoa, millet, buckwheat
permeability and autoimmune disease and is a
• nuts and seeds
top food sensitivity for many.
• legumes
An elimination diet is often used by holistic health
• organic berries and domestic fruits
practitioners to identify personal food
• healthy fats from olive oil, coconut oil and
sensitivities, which is any food that causes an
avocados
inflammatory reaction. These can vary from person to person.
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Making sure you get fiber of up to 30 to 40 grams
An anti-inflammatory diet as described above will
per day, drinking plenty of clean filtered water,
naturally improve insulin resistance. Avoid higher
and taking a daily probiotic will help your body
glycemic foods and personal food sensitivities.
clean up through improved digestion and
Though there are many grains such as buckwheat
elimination.
and barley, that are considered anti-inflammatory and are also high in antioxidants and other
We can clean up our external exposure to toxins
nutrients, women with PCOS may do better
by choosing natural ingredient household
minimizing their intake of these also, at least for a
cleaners and personal products. (see The
period of time. Grains still turn to sugar in the
Environmental Working Group’s website at
body faster and are generally less nutrient dense
www.ewg.org).
than foods like vegetables. Every meal should contain protein, fats, and carbs
2. BALANCE BLOOD SUGAR
consisting mostly of vegetables. Protein at breakfast is especially important to set your body
Insulin is produced in the pancreas and is
up for even blood sugar levels throughout the day.
released to move glucose into the bloodstream to
High fiber foods such as broccoli, dark leafy
use as energy. If you’re eating a high sugar diet,
greens, and flaxseed are great ways to slow down
over time your body becomes less sensitive to the
the digestion of sugars in the body and also help
effects of insulin and the pancreas has to keep
process excess estrogens. Regular exercise is also
producing more of it, with blood sugar levels
key to battling insulin resistance.
rising. What happens hormonally with all this excess insulin?
3. MANAGE STRESS
• an inflammatory environment • women with insulin resistance are 4 to 5 times
And now comes the calm down part! Stress
more likely to have a miscarriage
causes the body to release the hormone cortisol
• an increase in testosterone that can inhibit
from the adrenal glands. Higher levels of cortisol
fertility and stop ovulation
inhibit the conversion of T4 to the active T3
• follicular development is impacted when
hormone. High cortisol increases insulin release
estrogen and progesterone come out of balance
in the body and can lead to insulin resistance over
and egg quality can become low
time. The adrenal glands will also steal
• difficulty for the embryo to attach properly to
progesterone to make more cortisol, which can
the uterus
contribute to estrogen imbalance. So you can see
• a thyroid condition causes more insulin
that the hormonal effects of stress are
resistance and makes PCOS worse, and if insulin
widespread!
resistance is higher it can make a thyroid condition worse.
LIVE, LOVE AND EAT Stressors can include poor nutrition, caffeine, over-activity, and lack of sleep. Be mindful of any changes you can make to your and your family’s schedule – it’s o.k to just say no! Make time to rest and have quiet reflective time each day. A meditative and/or deep breathing practice is extremely helpful to calm the nervous system and adrenal response. Gentle exercise can also help. This is not the time to be running marathons, which can tax the adrenals – instead choose activities like walking in nature, yoga, pilates, weights or swimming. Make getting enough restful sleep a huge priority or it will undermine everything else you’re working on! Sleep helps stabilize your cortisol, improves your insulin sensitivity and regulates the release of hormones. Your body is listening and reacting to your emotional state in a very real way, so appreciate and cultivate nurturing yourself, making time to do things that are fun and give you joy. These are strong foundations to build upon on the road to a healthy reproductive system. Working with a health practitioner that specializes in these conditions will give you access to the right testing and getting a nutrition and lifestyle program tailored specifically for your needs. Many of the medications used can cause significant side effects and nutrient deficiencies and are only masking the symptoms. A good program will work on identifying and correcting individual root causes and consider and balance both traditional medical and natural options for optimal results. Sources: Period Repair Manual, Natural Treatment for Better Hormones and Better Periods, Lara Briden, ND, 2015 Stop Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain, Andrew S. Cook, MD, FACOG, 2012 Dietary and Lifestyle Strategies for the Management of Endometriosis, in Today’s Dietician magazine, Danielle Cook, MS, RD, CDE, 2016 Androgen Excess and PCOS Society http://www.ae-society.org/
Susan Tessman is a woman with endometriosis who is dedicated to supporting women suffering with hormone imbalances as well as chronic pelvic pain conditions such as endometriosis, fibroids, PCOS, and IC, using nutrition and lifestyle solutions to relieve their pain and help them heal. She is a Certified Transformational Nutrition® Coach, and also certifying as a women's health and nutrition coach specializing in pelvic pain conditions and preconception health. You can find more resources at www.susantessman.com and www.facebookcom/susantessmanwomenshealth
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WHY I WENT OFF BIRTH CONTROL BY BERNADINE OTTO
After 6 years I decided to go of birth control. Before I went off birth control I started googling “what will happen to my body if I stop taking birth control’’. I scheduled an appointment to see my gynecologist and discussed it with her. I walked out there with a new prescription in my hands. The next day I decided not to fill my subscription.
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So the first week nothing really eventful happened. Just that my LIBIDO came back in full force. In week two I got terrible cramps, like terrible.
I did a little bit of research and found out that my body is confused on what is happening. During the week I really concentrated on every detail I was feeling in my body by tuning in, eating healthy and practice self care. Week 3 I GOT MY PERIOD
I felt so happy. You must think really who does get excited about their periods! ME!!! The first two days were awful, I had a lot of cramps, but by the 3rd day all was good.
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It has been 6 months since I stopped taking birth control. I have lost weight, I don’t have that bubble over my head anymore, my sex drive is back, I am this positive human being and I had all my periods on time. I learned how to tune into my body, feeling more balanced, happy and free. I love the way I feel. I am not saying stop taking birth control, I am saying listen to your body. There are lots of preventative methods you can use instead of the pill. Consult with your gynecologist or family doctor. Bernadine Otto is a Certified Transformational Nutrition Coach & Author of the forthcoming book The 6 Week Summer Shrink Program, the creator of the 3 Week Flat Tummy Method and an EFT Practitioner. She helps women to lose weight and finding their worthiness and self-belief again. She works with women who are tired of dieting, losing weight and picking it up again and women who have a negative body image. She teach her clients to eat better not less. My approach is not to focus on calories or the scale but to work with my clients to create the happy, healthy life that they deserve. We are all so worth everything in life. I teach my clients that losing weight is not a quick fix but a wonderful journey. Learn more about Bernadine at : http://www.bernadinesthebodyshrink.com/
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3 DINNERS IN UNDER 3 HOURS (PREPARING 3 DINNERS FOR 3 NIGHTS OF THE WEEK - IN UNDER 3 HOURS TIME) BY REECA ROTHBAUM For many, preparing dinner for your family after a long day of work, is the last thing many people want to do when they come home at the end of the day. However, there is hope! If you can put aside a few hours on the weekend (preferably Sunday), to slice and dice, you can easily get dinner on the table in no time flat, before the kids start complaining of hunger. ;) Here’s what to do: 1) Grocery shop using the grocery list below. Remember to look through your pantry and refrigerator/freezer for food/spices you may already have on hand. 2) Try to grocery shop the day before you meal prep - this makes it a bit less tiring than doing both the grocery shopping and the meal prep in one day. 3) Gather the following tools: Crockpot 2 baking trays/sheets 1 9” pie plate Large pot for making sauce Variety of glass containers such as Pyrex storage containers or mason jars for storing prepped food Large bowl for seasoning and mixing potatoes Small ice cream scoop for meatball formation Salad spinner Measuring cups and spoons 4) Glance at the 3 dinners below to preview what you will be cooking. 5) Read “Step by step guide for meal prep” (below).
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Dinner Recipes: Dinner #1: Crock pot Chicken with roasted broccoli and sweet potatoes (This dinner requires the chicken to cook in the crock pot for 6-7 hours — thus making actual cooking time of prepping for 3 dinners over 3 hours. However, since you are not having to fuss over the chicken cooking in the crock pot, I took the liberty of saying 3 dinners in under 3 hours.) Ingredients for Chicken: 1 whole organic chicken Paprika Garlic powder Himalayan salt or sea salt (OR - use your favorite spices/herb combinations) Directions for Chicken: 1. Place whole, raw, chicken in crock pot 2. Sprinkle as much paprika, garlic powder and salt all over the chicken and the inside cavity. I typically don’t measure these spices - I just sprinkle all over until chicken looks covered. **Note: I tend to use approx. 1 and ½ Tbsp.of salt or more in this recipe. I find the more salt, the juicer the chicken becomes. Use to your liking. 3. Cover crock pot and set on LOW for 6 - 7 hours. 4. Let cool completely, slice chicken and store in glass container in refrigerator. Place sliced chicken on baking tray and place in oven on “warm” setting for about 20 minutes until warm prior to serving.
LIVE, LOVE AND EAT Roasted Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes: Ingredients: 1 bunch broccoli cut into florets 2 sweet potatoes, cut into 1 inch wedges Extra-virgin olive oil Salt Pepper Directions: 1) Preheat oven to 425 F. 2) In large bowl, toss broccoli and sweet potatoes with 2 - 3 teaspoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper - to taste. 3) Place broccoli and sweet potatoes on baking sheet. Roast 20-30 minutes - turning vegetables half way through cooking time. 4) Store broccoli and sweet potatoes in glass storage container with tight fitting lid and refrigerate (when preparing for dinner, put in oven - on warm setting for approx. 20 minutes to reheat.) To serve: Warm chicken and sweet potatoes/broccoli in oven and serve. Dinner #2: Spaghetti Squash with Sauce/Meatballs & Salad Spaghetti Squash Directions: 1) Set oven temperature to 375 degrees F. 2) Lightly grease a baking sheet with coconut oil or organic butter or ghee 3) Poke holes with fork all over entire, whole spaghetti squash (do not cut - it’s much easier to cut spaghetti squash in half after it is cooked.) 4) Place squash on greased baking sheet 5) Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes. Turn half way through. When cool, cut in half, scoop seeds out from middle with spoon and scrape inside of squash with a fork to remove flesh in long strands. 6) Place “spaghetti” strands in glass container and store in refrigerator.
LIVE, LOVE AND EAT Sauce and Meatballs Ingredients: 2 Jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce (I like Amy’s Marinara) 1 to 2 pounds organic, ground beef (depending how many people you are serving) 1 egg (or 2 if using 2 pounds of meat) - beaten in separate dish prior to using in meatball mixture 1 tsp. garlic powder (double if using 2 lbs. of meat) 1 tsp. onion powder (double if using 2 lbs of meat) ¼ up of Gluten-free Italian flavored bread crumbs (or substitute almond meal for grain free option) Double if using 2 pounds of meat. Directions: 1) Pour spaghetti sauce into large pot, set aside 2) In small bowl, beat egg(s) and set aside 3) In large bowl, add meat, bread crumbs or almond meal, spices and beaten egg. Mix well. 4) Take a small ice cream scoop (or use hands) and form meatballs, placing them into pot of sauce as you go. 5) Cook meatballs and sauce over low to medium heat for approximately 40 min. On occasion, gently stir sauce/meatballs. Watch carefully so that sauce does not burn. Turn flame to low - if necessary. 6) Store meatballs and sauce in glass container, seal tightly and store in refrigerator To serve: Warm spaghetti squash in oven safe container, warm sauce and meatballs in sauce pan on low. Place sauce and meatballs on top of squash and serve. Serve salad (below) on the side. Salad: (Use for dinner #2 and dinner #3) Ingredients: 2 heads of red leaf or green leaf lettuce 1 sweet, red pepper, 2 sweet, green pepper 1 small container of cherry tomatoes 2 to 3 green onions 1 Avocado 2 cucumbers 3 Tbsp. of dried, unsweetened cranberries or cherries ¼ to ½ cup crumbled goat or feta cheese (optional) Wash lettuce in a salad spinner, set aside, Wash other produce Cut sweet peppers into thin strips Slice cherry tomatoes into halves Dice green onions Slice cucumbers
LIVE, LOVE AND EAT Dice avocado Place all cut vegetables plus cranberries and cheese into large bowl and toss. Store in glass container with tight fitting lid or mason jar. Do not dress. Dress salad immediately before eating. Make Dressing: Ingredients: 1 cup extra virgin olive oil ½ cup red balsamic vinegar 2 tsp. dry mustard 1 clove minced garlic 1 tsp. salt Directions: 1) Mix all ingredients in small mason jar. Shake well right before using. Dress salad right before eating. Dinner #3: Crust less Spinach Pie & Salad (Use leftover salad from dinner #2) Ingredients: Coconut oil, organic butter or ghee to grease pan 1 frozen 10 Oz package of fresh spinach or frozen, thawed and drained (you can use any vegetable you want - I have even used a bag of organic mixed vegetables - corn, peas, carrots) 1 16 oz. cottage cheese, whole milk and organic 2 eggs - beaten 1-8oz. package of organic, raw, cheddar cheese - diced 1 Tbsp. onion powder 2 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. salt or to taste ½ tsp. of pepper or to taste 2 Tbsp. of brown rice flour or arrowroot flour
LIVE, LOVE AND EAT Directions: 1) Pre-heat oven to 350 F. 2) Grease pie plate with coconut oil, butter or ghee 3) Beat eggs and set aside 4) Dice cheddar cheese and set aside. 5) In large mixing bowl, mix together spinach, organic cottage cheese, beaten eggs, diced cheddar cheese, spices and flour. Make sure ingredients are mixed well. 6) Pour mixture into pie plate - spread until easily distributed. 7) Bake at 375 F. for approximately 25 minutes. To serve: Warm spinach pie in oven and serve with salad (above).
Step by step guide for meal prep: 1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 2) Make Dinner #1 - Crockpot chicken recipe. Place the chicken in the crockpot and follow the steps above under Dinner #1. Set on low. Let cook for 6-7 hours. 3) Take 2 baking sheets out and grease lightly with coconut oil, organic butter or ghee. Set aside
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4) Take out 9” pie plate and grease lightly with coconut oil, organic butter or ghee. Set aside. 5) Make spaghetti squash. Puncture squash all over with fork and place on one of the greased baking sheets. Place in 375 degree oven. Set timer for 1 hour and 40 minutes. (Turn halfway through cooking time). 6) While squash is baking, wash and cut broccoli into florets and sweet potatoes into wedges, place in mixing bowl, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and set aside. 7) Make Crustless Spinach Pie, dinner #3. Follow directions for dinner # 3. Place in oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes. Check on squash and turn. 8) As spinach pie bakes, cut up veggies for salad and make dressing. See dinner #2 for ingredients and directions. Store veggies in refrigerator, in glass container with tight fitting lid. Store dressing in small glass mason jar with lid. Dressing can be kept at room temperature (on counter). 9) Check spinach pie for doneness. Take out if done, set aside, and let cool. Check on squash for doneness - knife should easily cut through - if ready. If ready, take out and set aside to cool. 10) Make meatballs and sauce - dinner #2. Pour marinara sauce into sauce pot. Make meatballs as described above in dinner #2. 11) As meatballs cook, check on squash. Knife should easily cut through - if ready. Remove squash if ready, set aside and let cool. 12) Raise oven temperature to 425 degrees F. 13) Place sweet potatoes and broccoli florets on the other greased baking sheet, place in 425 degree oven and roast for about 20 minutes - check on broccoli for doneness after about 15 minutes as broccoli may be done sooner than potatoes. 14) Once broccoli and potatoes are cooked, set aside and let cool. Place in glass containers with tight fitting lid and store in refrigerator. Prior to eating, place in oven on “warm” setting for about 20 minutes. **Congratulations!You are 99% done with preparing 3 dinners for the week ahead! The last step is slicing the crock pot chicken - when done. See step #15 (below) for instructions. 15) At the 6 hour mark, check crockpot chicken for doneness. (When cooked completely, chicken temperature should read 165 degrees F.) When ready, let cool completely, slice chicken and store in glass container in refrigerator. Prior to serving, place sliced chicken on baking tray and place in oven on “warm” setting for about 20 minutes until warm.
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LIVE, LOVE AND EAT Grocery List: *All ingredients, if possible, should be organic and/or local. *All dairy ingredients should be in “whole” milk form. Sheep’s milk or goat’s milk should be substituted for cow’s milk, when possible, as it is often easier to digest. *Any leftovers can be used for lunches or for another dinner. Meat: 1-2 pounds organic ground beef (depending on how many people you are serving) 1 whole, organic, chicken Produce: 1 bunch broccoli 2 sweet potatoes 1 Spaghetti squash-whole 2 heads of red leaf or green leaf lettuce or combination of lettuces. (Do NOT use iceberg-no nutritional value!) 1 sweet, red pepper 2 sweet, green pepper 1 small container of cherry tomatoes 2 to 3 green onions 1 Avocado 2 cucumbers Spices, Oils, Vinegars: Paprika Garlic powder Onion powder Himalayan salt or sea salt Extra-virgin olive oil Pepper Red balsamic vinegar Dry mustard Garlic Coconut oil - if using in place of butter or ghee Cans/Jars/Dry Goods: 2 Jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce (I like Amy’s Marinara) Gluten free bread crumbs or almond meal 1 package of unsweetened cranberries or cherries
Dairy: Eggs - large and organic, free range, if possible Crumbled sheep OR goat OR feta cheese - 1 container 8 oz. Cheddar cheese, whole milk, raw and organic if possible 16 oz. Cottage cheese - whole milk and organic if possible Butter or ghee for coating pans - organic Flours: Brown rice flour OR Arrowroot flour for thickening in spinach pie
Reeca Rothbaum is a graduate of The Academy of Culinary Nutrition, The Institute of Transformational Nutrition, and Andrea Nakayama’s Holistic Nutrition Lab. Throughout the past 20 years, she has worked as a high school special education teacher. In addition, she works as an on-line nutrition and fitness coach. When not working, she enjoys exercising, reading anything about nutrition and health and hiking with her husband, children, and two dogs. Find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Reeca-LynnNutrition-Fitness-687347074643002/ Find her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reecalynn/ Email: rlynncoach@gmail.com
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MEAL PREP: HOW TO GET STARTED BY: JEN PIERCE
LIVE, LOVE AND EAT Meal Prep. This phrase can be incredibly overwhelming. We all know it’s a good idea, but finding the time and energy to do it can be the hard part. I felt that same sense of dread when I first started working on my healthy lifestyle. Just like vegetables, I knew that it was something I needed in my life, but I didn’t know where to start or how to make it work. I’ve come a long way from those first few overwhelming days - where I literally stood in my kitchen and started at my fridge, hoping that healthy, already-prepped meals would magically appear on the shelves – so I’d like to share some tips. We all know that any physical fitness goals also come with a nutritional necessity. The saying goes “you can’t out-work a bad diet,” and I know this to be true as I’ve tried (and I’m sure many of you have as well). The key to reaching the goals that you have is what you fuel your body with. However, continuing to feed yourself quality, healthy meals when you have errands, kids, school, work, and a to-do list a mile long, can be challenging. This is where meal prep comes in. Here are some tips on getting started: 1) Make a cooking plan. Decide which days during your week are the best days for you to cook. I personally choose 2-3, with one being a weekend. Then, write down what you will cook for dinner those days. Remember – don’t be a super hero. If you won’t have time to cook on a certain night, don’t pretend that you will! (This inevitably leads to take-out for me!) 2) Make a leftover plan. Write down when during the week you will eat the leftovers from your dinners that you cooked. Learn to love leftovers – they are a huge time saver. 3) Make a salad plan. Write down days that you can make a salad from some of the main dishes you cooked. For example, if you made a steak fajita dish for dinner, you can reuse the steak and vegetables on a bed of greens the next day! 4) Make a list. Take those recipes and write down your grocery list. Do not add extra items you think you may need. Stick to only what you absolutely must buy. 5) Go to the grocery store (and make sure you aren’t hungry!!) 6) Put away your dry goods as soon as you get home. Put any meats/other protein sources in the fridge. Do NOT put away your fruits and vegetables.
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7) Wash and chop the fruits and vegetables you’ve purchased. Place what you will need for each night that you are cooking in a baggie & label. If you’ve bought fruits & veggies just for snacking, put them in see-through storage containers at eye-level, not in the crisper. (They say the crisper is where all good vegetables go to die… and this is because you don’t see them to remember to eat them!) 8) Review your menu for the week & decide where you can cook in bulk. For example, are you having brown rice as a side-dish a few nights a week? Cook everything that you need that first night & store it in the fridge. You may need to invest in bigger pots & extra storage containers, but this will be well worth your time! 9) Finally, ask for help. Meal prep at our house is a family affair. Some chop, some bake chicken, some toss salads. We invest a few hours each week (grocery shopping included) of focused, no-fuss prepping, but the rewards a huge: less stress about food, more time spent as a family, less money spent on take-out, and more healthy foods available for us to eat. Remember, you won’t be perfect at this day one & you don’t have to try this whole list at once either. A great starting point is #7 – just chopping veggies after you get home from the store can be a huge time saver. Happy Prepping!
Jen Pierce is a Coach/Distributor for Beach body (makers of P90X, the 21 Day Fix, and other home workout programs) and a Chemical Engineer for a pharmaceutical company. She has committed herself to a healthier, happier lifestyle and has lost almost 30 pounds over the past two years. Jen helps support other men & women on their own journeys to health and happiness through online coaching & support, specifically those living with food allergies similar to hers. You can find Jen on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HealthyJenPierce or reach her at healthyjenpierce@gmail.com. Jen is happily married & lives on the shores of Lake Michigan in South Haven, Michigan. She enjoys cooking, reading, helping others, and sports.
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EASY NUTRITIOUS BREAKFAST BY CHARLIE THAKRAR
LIVE, LOVE AND EAT This is such an easy, delicious and nutritious breakfast or snack and very popular in our house. Super simple to prepare, less than 5 ingredients and very filling. For a breakfast I love serving this with some steamed broccoli. This power packed meal keeps us all going for hours! Avocado has been described as one of the world's most perfect foods and I'm not surprised. It contains over 25 essential nutrients including vitamin E, vitamin K, Vitamin C, most of the B vitamins, fiber, magnesium, potassium and monounsaturated fat. Studies support that eating avocados can help with metabolic syndrome and its associated risks due to the wide variety of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients, such as glutathione. Avocados can also help manage blood sugar control, insulin regulation, satiety and weight management. All that from a fruit that tastes so delicious!
Ingredients 1 avocado, cut in half and pit removed 2 organic eggs Some chives or spring onions, chopped Cayenne pepper (optional) Sea salt and pepper to taste Method Preheat the oven to 220ËšC. Slice the avocado open vertically and remove the pit. Lay the avocado halves in a small baking tray so they are supported and upright. sprinkle some chives, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper in the groove of the avocado. Gently crack an egg into the groove and again top with some chives, cayenne pepper and salt and pepper. Feel free to add some nitrate free turkey bacon for some some extra protein. Bake for 20 minutes until the whites are cooked but the yolk is still soft.
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Charlie is a Holistic Nutrition Coach, Culinary Nutrition expert and a Certified Personal Trainer. Charlie helps clients who struggle with weight loss and hormone imbalances using whole foods and real ingredients, debunking fad diets and teaching you to love healthy and mindful cooking and eating. ou can learn more about Charlie on Facebook: : https://www.facebook.com/fitandnutritious.com.sg and her website: http://www.fitandnutritious.com.sg/
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CELERY ROOT FRITTERS BY KALE IS MY KARMA
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Last year I was walking through the grocery store and I saw this really ugly round vegetable. There were knobs all over it and it looked like it had tentacles coming out of the bottom of it. When I got closer I saw that it was something called celery root. Since I love picking up at least one new vegetable or ingredient when I go shopping I grabbed one and headed home to look up some recipes. My first go at it was making “fries” and they were DELICIOUS! For the last year I have had only two celery root go to recipes, the fries and a mash mixed with cauliflower. The other day I was watching “Junk Food Flip” on the Cooking Channel and they were making an avocado aioli. It looked so creamy and delicious ran to my fridge to see what I could put the aioli on and saw I had a celery root. I really love any type of patty, fritter, or burger, so it was obvious that it was turning into one of those. Before we get into the recipe let’s talk health benefits. Celery Root is low in cholesterol and saturated fat, and is a great source of Vitamin K, B6, potassium, and dietary fiber. So to make these delicious cakes here’s what you will need: 1 small celery root 5 tbsp. brown rice flour 1 tbsp. ground flax ½ tsp. baking powder 1 handful basil 1 handful spinach 2 eggs or flax eggs if making these vegan Onion powder Salt Red pepper flakes
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The first thing I do is I cut my celery root in half, then I take a paring knife and peel it. Then cut it into smaller pieces so it is easier to chop in your food processor or blender, and rinse.
I used my Vitamix to do a wet chop. If you are going to do a wet chop put your celery root pieces in the blender, and then fill with water until the celery root is raised off of the blade.
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Then use the pulse option until you have the size that you want. Here’s the size that I like to work with.
Make sure to drain and dry the celery root, if it is too wet then your cakes won’t stick together. While they are drying chop your basil and spinach.
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Mix all of your dry ingredients in with your celery root. Beat your two eggs and add those to the mix.
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Start forming patties, I made mine about 3 inches. The patties will separate a little bit, but if they are not holding at all add some more flour and/or flax. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes (or until the bottoms are golden) and then flip and bake for another 15 minutes. If you want to dip it into something here’s the healthy aioli sauce from “Junk Food Flip” http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/the-pacemaker.html
Lisa Marie is a Transformational Nutrition Coach and founder of Kale is my Karma. When she was 11 years old, she decided to be a vegetarian and has never looked back. Throughout her childhood and young adult life she struggled to overcome an eating disorder for many years but was able to put the negative patterns behind her and start living a full life. Lisa Marie on a mission to help women nourish their bodies and make peace with who they are and what they are putting into and on their bodies by sharing her wisdom and experience. Learn more from Lisa Marie at : http://www.kaleismykarma.com/
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CAN HEALTHY COOKING BE DELICIOUS? BY ANDREA CAPRIO
On weekends, my husband and I love to cook and try out new delicious recipes and ways of healthy cooking but without compromising on deliciousness. This weekend my husband gave his favorite recipe, Hummus, a new twist and I tried a sugar, dairy and guilt-free Chocolate to spoil ourselves. Go ahead, it is possible to make healthy food with minimum effort which tastes absolutely delicious. Overindulgence with no regret is the solution. Here are our recipes:
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Frog-green Hummus 1 cup dry or 1 can garbanzo beans 1/4 cup Tahini (Sesame seed paste) 1 clove garlic 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 TBS lemon juice 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil handful of shelled walnuts secret ingredient 1 TBS Kirkland pesto (it’s excellent quality and made with basil leaves imported from Italy, you can find it at Costco) ¼ teaspoon chili (optional) 1 handful frozen spinach
If using dry garbanzo beans, soak overnight and cook with ½ tsp Bicarbonate of Soda and without salt until soft for around 10 minutes. If no Bicarbonate of Soda available, cook for around 30 minutes without salt until soft. Put beans (keep the water) and all other ingredients into a food processor and process for around 1-2 minutes until puree like, if need be add a little of the liquid to make it a mashed potato like consistency, it should not be too liquid. Put into a nice bowl or Tupperware. You can keep it a few days in the fridge. You can do lots of variations with the base of this recipe and use tahini combined with other beans or vegetables. Serve with carrot or celery sticks, alternatively with baked vegetable chips.
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Sugar, dairy and guilt-free Chocolate This has become my new favorite. Can a totally guilt-free chocolate actually taste this good? I think yes but you have to try it out and let me know your opinion. 1 cup of Extra virgin, organic Coconut oil ½ cup of Organic raw cocoa powder 1 TS of Stevia or ¼ cup of Maple syrup or Raw Honey (you may want to add more or less depending on the desired sweetness. Stevia can be bitter, so be careful, I often use less Stevia and add a bit of honey to give it the right sweetness) 1 TS Vanilla Essence 2 TBS Maca Powder (optional) 1/8 cup of Nuts (almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts), cut roughly Combine the first 5 ingredients in a bain-marie (also called water bath or double boiler) until smooth and liquid, the water should only simmer, not boil. (Follow the Wikipedia link to see how to set up an improvised bainmarie) Pour the mixture as a thin layer of around a ¼ inch into ice-cube holders or small Tupperware containers and sprinkle the nuts over it. Freeze for 2 hours, keep in the freezer and remove 5 minutes prior eating. You can also keep it in the fridge but it will be softer. Enjoy the melt! Andrea Caprio, founder of Wellness methods and a Holistic Nutrition and Wellness coach offers easy stepby-step programs and a personalized, result focused coaching method that helps to increase your energy, focus, performance and to decrease your risk of developing more serious diseases. Find out more with a FREE* 15 minute discovery session. Learn more about Andrea at: www.wellnessmethods.com
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''Don't forget to love her, The little girl you used to be. Perhaps she lies within you. Untucked. Sleeping peacefully'' -
Kiana Llanos
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