Good-gut goodness

Eric Rose

“ Make plants — organic vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains — your top priority when eating to benefit both your brain and

body.” — Eric Rose

Looking for ways to improve your emotional and mental health? Or even improve that number on the scale and your energy? Food plays a much bigger role than you may have thought!

Over the last decade I have studied human nutrition and found there is a very strong connection between the mind and our digestive system, and it inspired me to take charge of my own health as well as help others do the same. As a certified health coach and award-winning chef, I have made it my mission to get the world healthy.

In order to feel healthy, you must be intentional. Intentional about your daily habits like getting enough exercise and sleep, mindset-filling your brain with positive thoughts drowning out all the negativity, and—most importantly — eating a healthy diet. Your stomach and brain are very much connected, and what you fill your stomach with will ultimately determine what neuro and chemical response your body will have, thus affecting how you feel. One of the simplest ways I break this concept down while talking to clients is that from a nutrition standpoint there is only one of three things that can happen when you eat: 1. You fuel to build your body and improve health (good minerals and vitamin-packed complex carbs, protein and healthy fats) 2. You fuel your body with unhealthy foods, which breaks your body down and causes it to put things on pause to filter out the junk. (It’s not nutrition your body can use to improve). 3. You fuel your body with too much of a good thing and it can’t use it all at that given moment. So now once again it becomes taxing to your body, storing the excess as fat which has to detox through your liver.

So, you can really have too much of a good thing. The pneumogastric nerve that connects the brain and stomach is the control center that determines what happens next after we eat. Overeating can cause our minds to be clouded, forgetful, and irritable. Keeping our stomach in an optimal state will keep the mind vigorous.

One of the best changes you can make in your diet if you are not already eating this way is to make plants—organic vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole

grains—your top priority when eating to benefit both your brain and body. Reducing the amount of processed foods and refined carbs as much as possible will also have a drastic improvement in your overall health. This is easier said than done because sugar is so addictive, but small changes and swapping out heavily carb-based choices can make a huge difference in your overall health. The best part is that eating healthy doesn’t have to fall short on flavor. Give my fan-favorite healthy recipes a try and follow my additional tips to help ensure you’re optimizing your and your family’s health.

Healthy tips to feeling great and speeding up your metabolism

• Eat 6-7 times per day. • Eat 5-6 healthy snacks per day (100-200 calories) and 1-2 meals (300-550 calories). • Space your meals and snacks out every 2-3 hours. • Eat within an hour of getting up to baseline your blood sugar, and then set your phone timer to remind you to eat something every 2-3 hours. This will keep your blood sugar level and you will feel better and have fewer urges for sweets. Plus, it’s like putting kindling on a fire when it comes to your metabolism. • Drink water throughout the day. Water is essential to every function in your body. Adequate hydration is associated with both improved brain health and weight management. It also helps flush all the toxins out of your system and helps you feel fuller. Dilute fresh juices and switch to herbal teas and zero-calorie sparkling waters. • Eat the rainbow in veggies and fruits. Consuming different colors of food plays an important role in making sure you’re getting enough essential nutrients—vitamins, minerals, fiber, and more. Eating this way can help protect against many ailments such as colds and flu as well as help in weight loss and optimal hydration. • Opt for fiber from whole fruits and vegetables, not the kind added to products. It will help you feel fuller longer, keep you satisfied, and aid in maintaining healthy gut bacteria. • Get 7-8 hours of sleep per night.

Maintain a consistent schedule of bedtimes and wake times, even on weekends, to establish a healthy regimen. Have a noblue-light rule 30 minutes

before you go to bed. Put your phone down. Sleep will provide you with more energy and improve your mood. • Stop…challenge…choose.

Ask yourself: Is eating this in my long-term best interest? If I eat this now how will I feel an hour from now? Tomorrow?

Am I strong enough to choose not to have something? Can I respect my body enough to not put (insert unhealthy choice here) in it?

Remember, you can have whatever you want, but you are choosing your health. SWM

Eric Rose is an awardwinning chef and certified health coach.

“The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs but will cure

and prevent disease with nutrition.”—Thomas A. Edison

Goat Cheese Zucchini Lasagna

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

¼ cup of pesto ½ tsp black pepper 20 oz lean ground beef (can use chicken or turkey) 3 oz light cream cheese ½ cup of shredded, reduced fat mozzarella ¼ cup of goat cheese crumbles 12 oz of fresh tomato, sliced 1 tsp salt, divided 3 oz of roasted peppers 12 oz zucchini

DIRECTIONS:

1. Using a sharp knife, slice zucchini into ¼ inch slices lengthwise; sprinkle with ½ tsp of salt and let rest for 30 min 2. Brown and drain meat, then sprinkle with salt, pepper and cream cheese.

3. Layer sliced zucchini into a casserole dish; top with a thin layer of pesto, meat mixture, sliced tomatoes, and cheese. Repeat a second layer on top, finishing with a final layer of zucchini slices and cheese. 4. Bake at 425° F until fork tender, about 25 to 30 min. Serve into 4 equal portions. This dish can be made ahead of time. It reheats very well.

“Healthcare happens at your table.”—Dr. Terry Mason

Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

1 small spaghetti squash, halved and seeded ½ cup shredded cabbage 10 oz of cooked chicken (pulled rotisserie works well) 5 oz of hot sauce 4 oz reduced fat shredded cheddar 3 tbsp reduced fat bleu cheese dressing ¼ cup scallions ¼ cup diced celery Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Place cleaned spaghetti squash face down on a lined baking sheet and cook for 45 min. 2. When fork tender, flip the squash so it’s skin side down. Wait a few minutes for it to cool slightly. Scrape flesh with a fork to create spaghetti like texture, being careful not to burn yourself. Put strands into a mixing bowl. Keep squash shell if you would like to present it in it. 3. In the mixing bowl combine cooked squash with chicken, cabbage, cheese, scallions, and hot sauce. 4. Stuff mixture back in squash shells or portion on a plate. Top dishes with bleu cheese dressing and celery.

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