Monthly Archives: March 2018

March 7, 2018

More Than A Diet

New Year Resolution Check-in

Uh oh… It’s that time of the year again when we ask ourselves are we on track to reach our Summer weight loss goals.  We are all too familiar with the saying “Summer bodies are made in the winter” and now we are heading into Spring. It’s that time of year where we are all thinking, I won’t be able to hide behind my winter coat much longer and then the panic begins to set in.  Well, it doesn’t have to be that way, take a deep breath and remain focused.

Before you know it Summertime will be here and indulgence will be upon us yet again, so where do you want to be on your transformation journey. There’s still plenty of time for damage control if need be.  First, let’s identify the sabotaging behavior and/or trigger points that derailed you in the first place. Secondly, let’s put into place your support system that will hold you accountable no matter what. Thirdly, ACTION, ACTION ACTION, the key to your success.  I believe that a shift in one’s mindset and a sense of mental calmness is hugely attributed to a person’s success, no matter if it is in the workplace or your personal life.

With that being said, let’s March into Spring with positive affirmations and intention that will lead us into the Summer with the right tools to help us gain unmeasurable SUCCESS and a Healthy and Fit BODY.

Here are a few healthy eating strategies to keep in mind yearlong.

  • Eat Before Going to a Party/Bring Your Own Food

Socializing is all about reconnecting with your friends and loved ones. So next time you’re invited to that after work spot for drinks and appetizers or dinner for two, we have a few tips for you.. Eat something before going to that party or dinner. It doesn’t have to be something heavy but something that can prevent you from stuffing your face all night. Another thing you can do instead of stuffing yourself is bringing your own food to the party. That way if you can make something healthier to eat, and if you have to indulge during the party you can eat what you prepared.

  • Concentrate on your meal while you’re eating it

This one might be a little a harder if you’re at a social gathering but paying attention to what you’re eating helps prevent mindless eating. So take 30 minutes out of your day to just eat, with no distractions.

  • Manage Portion Size

This is a tip that is important all year long. The saying “your eyes are bigger than your stomach” is an accurate representation of the way the majority of us eat. Most of us see a plate of any size and decide that we always need a full plate in front of us. This tempts us to try and eat the entire plate. Using an appetizer size plate, or eating in smaller portions could help with maintaining your weight and preventing unnecessary weight gain.

Now that you have some guidelines to help you navigate through the next soirée, have fun, be mindful and enjoy LIFE.

March 7, 2018

Au Naturale – Product Pick

GLA (gamma linolenic acid) – a fatty acid that helps burn fat to promote weight loss and help control the appetite to prevent weight gain.  

There are several different types of omega-6 fatty acids. Most omega-6 fatty acids in the diet come from vegetable oils in the form of linoleic acid (LA). The body converts linoleic acid to GLA and then to arachidonic acid (AA). You can get GLA from several plant-based oils, including evening primrose oil (EPO), borage oil, and black currant seed oil. Most of these oils also contain some linoleic acid.

A healthy diet contains a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation while some omega-6 fatty acids promote inflammation. The typical American diet contains 14 to 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids. Many physicians blame this high rate of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids for the large number of inflammatory diseases in the American population.

For your overall health, you should get a balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. There is much disagreement in the nutrition field about what constitutes the proper ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in one’s diet. The average diet provides plenty of omega-6 fatty acids. So most people do not need supplements. You may want to ask your doctor about taking omega-6 supplements if you have a condition such as eczema or psoriasis, arthritis, diabetes, or breast tenderness (mastalgia).

Because of the potential for side effects and interactions with medications, you should only take dietary supplements under the supervision of a knowledgeable health care provider.

DO NOT take omega-6 fatty acids if you have a seizure disorder. Several reports describe seizures in people taking EPO. Some of these seizures developed in people with a previous seizure disorder, or in people taking epoin combination with anesthetics. People who plan to have surgery requiring anesthesia should stop taking evening primrose oil 2 weeks ahead of time.

March 7, 2018

Get Moving

Dance: Bring The Fun Back To Fitness (focus on motivating people to take dance classes and the variety of styles such as Zumba, hip-hop, belly dancing, dancing with heels, etc)

When did getting fit become such a chore?  If we’re being honest, exercising is rarely ever on people’s “things I enjoy,” list.  Most people exercise because they have to, and not because they want to. Who could blame them?  You get sweaty, you lose your breath fairly quickly, it can get painful. I could vent for hours about how hard exercising is, but what good would that do?  Instead, why don’t we talk about how to make fitness fun? Getting yourself in shape doesn’t always have to be a stressful journey because you have the option to do something at the gym that just about everyone around the world understands and enjoys: Dancing!

Dancing is a blast!  Even if you have no rhythm, you can still enjoy dancing.  The music is loud, the energy levels are high, and you know that you need to start grooving.  When one person starts to dance, it makes everyone want to join in, no matter what their skill level is like, because everyone has one goal in mind: Having fun. Gyms have taken advantage of this, and now dancing classes are more popular than ever because there are so many different types of fitness related dance routines.  

One of the most popular types of dance in the fitness world is Zumba, which was founded by a Colombian choreographer by the name of Alberto Perez.  It incorporates a number of different aerobic-based Latin dances, such as Salsa, Mambo, and Merengue into a routine, encouraging individuals to move along to the beat of the music.  It’s almost always taught by an instructor, who guides you along to their playlist, with each song focusing on a different part of the body. It’s a loud, and incredibly fun type of dance, because of its fast-paced nature and the sense of community that builds within classes.  Who wouldn’t have fun at this?

Want something more challenging?  How about belly dancing? Originating in the Middle East, this type of dance works your core really hard by using complex torso movements.  It’s a lot less flowy than Zumba, with more staccato movements, mostly in the hips and lower body. The music takes you along for a ride, forcing you to tighten your core as you move.  It’s a lot of fun, and you can take it with you outside of the gym!

Remember that exercising doesn’t always have to suck because there are so many options when it comes to getting the body that you want.  Dancing is something that not only lets you move your body in a fun way, but it also builds community because everyone is in the same boat as you.  I highly encourage you to get out there, and not be afraid of getting a little sweaty in a dance class, because I can guarantee that you will have fun.

March 7, 2018

Bon Appetite – Recipe of the Month

SPICY ETHIOPIAN STEWED BEEF (KEY WAT)

http://www.aducksoven.com/2014/08/spicy-ethiopian-stewed-beef-key-wat.html

PREP TIME
COOK TIME
TOTAL TIME
Author: Chelsea
Recipe Type: Dinner
Cuisine: Ethiopian
Serves: 4-6 Servings

 

 

 
 

INGREDIENTS
Berbere seasoning:
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground fenugreek
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp turmeric
  • 4 tbsp hot pepper flakes (Yes, tablespoons! Not a typo!)
  • 2 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tsp ginger powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp ground allspice
  • ¾ tsp cardamom
  • ½ tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
Stewed Beef:
  • 1 lb stew beef, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, separated
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp berbere (less if you’re sensitive to spice)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • 2 cups beef stock (or 2 cups water and a beef bullion)
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. To make the berbere spice, combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container.
  2. For the stewed beef, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the beef with the salt and pepper. Brown the beef in batches in the dutch oven, removing to a plate to catch its juices.
  3. Without cleaning the dutch oven, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the onions and cook until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
  4. Add the tomato paste, berbere seasoning, and sugar to the onions and garlic. Cook until a thick paste forms, about 3 minutes. Add the beef stock and beef and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low to simmer.
  5. Simmer the beef for at least an hour, up to two. Remove the beef from the cooking liquid and shred it by pulling the chunks apart with two forks. Add the beef back to the stock mixture and simmer for another 15 minutes.
  6. Serve with injera or couscous.
NOTES
If you’d like to cook this in your crock pot, follow the instructions until you’ve caramelized the onions. Add all remaining ingredients, caramelized onions, and beef to the crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Before serving, shred the beef by pulling the chunks apart with two forks and return to the crock pot and cook on high for 15 minutes.

March 7, 2018

Bon Appetit – Food Find

Food Find: Injera

Injera, you may have never heard of it before, unless you’ve traveled to Ethiopia or other East African nations. Injera is a flatbread, with a taste much like sourdough and with a spongy texture, where it replaces the need for silverware by sopping up wet dishes and curries. There it’s a staple, served with every dish at nearly every meal and is created with Teff flour, from an abundant grain that also happens to be gluten-free!

The teff grain from which injera is made is a very healthy food, not only does one cup equal 40% of the recommended daily intake of calcium, but it contains lysine, an essential amino acid that helps the absorption of calcium. Teff also has potassium and fiber and is associated with lowered cholesterol levels.

Unless you live nearby an Ethiopian restaurant, or plan on visiting the country soon, you may have some difficulty in finding the bread already made. Luckily, teff flour can be found at your local health foods store, like Whole Foods, and isn’t difficult to make. For those familiar with making sunday morning pancakes, making injera will be no issue! See our Recipe of the Month for instructions!

March 7, 2018

Healing Power of Art

Paint brushes and IV tubes may not seem to have much in common, but the arts are increasingly touted as a form of healing that can be as relevant to a patient’s well-being as medication. And nearly half the healthcare institutions in the U.S. have implemented arts programs.

Apart from empowering patients, practicing an art form while sick may improve certain symptoms – like lowering blood pressure. It also fulfills a patients’ instinctive need to express their feelings about what is going on in their bodies.

Studies have shown that painting and drawing can relieve pain in pediatric cancer patients and that dementia patients who practice music may improve their memory. Preliminary research on the potential economic benefits of hospitals’ arts programs shows that participating patients have a lower readmission rate and are more compliant with taking their medications.

Arts programs may also improve the hospital’s working environment: Studies have shown that nurses report less stress when patients are involved in art projects. According to a 2009 report by the Global Alliance for Arts and Health, 45 percent of the country’s health care institutions (mostly hospitals) have art programs – predominantly through art displays and performances, bedside activities, art carts, and healing gardens.

The country’s first programs began in the 1970s and 1980s – at academic medical centers such as Duke and the University of Michigan. Jill Sonke, one of the authors of the Global Alliance report, says their rise coincided with the recognition of holistic medicine.

“The arts went along with that so perfectly,” says Sonke, who directs the Arts in Medicine Program at the University of Florida, one of the country’s first programs.

Also a professional dancer, Sonke runs a UF program called Dance for Life, in which patients with neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease improve their mobility and balance.

Sonke is careful to distinguish between art therapists and artists working in hospitals. “Art therapists are mental health professionals who use the arts to assess and address patients’ therapeutic goals,” she says. “Professional artists are not clinicians; they partner with caregivers to help meet clinical goals.”

For patients, working with artists is often relaxing and enjoyable, she says. “It gives patients a deep sense of caring that someone would spend time attending to them as a human being.”

As we can see, art therapy often has a mystical effect on people with varying conditions that uplifts their hearts and minds which can ultimately result in their overall well-being. The next time your loved one is having a bad day, think about lifting their spirits with the ARTS.

March 7, 2018

Wellness Corner

Clary Sage – Part II

More Clary Sage Oil Uses and Benefits

  • Hairdryers, flat irons, crimpers,  and curling irons can all make  your hair look glamorous, but for how long? With frequent use of a heated styling tool, hair strands can begin to break and split, making hair look damaged and unhealthy. Keep your hair looking radiant with this do-it-yourself Heat Protectant Spray infused with Clary Sage oil and Geranium oil. Clary Sage is known for its ability to promote healthy­ looking hair and is a perfect essential oil to keep your strands looking stronger longer!
  • During your menstrual cycle, bring relief to your abdomen by using Clary Sage essential oil. Simply apply Clary Sage to the needed area of your abdomen and rub for a soothing massage. The natural chemical components of Clary Sage oil are among the most soothing and calming compounds.
  • Combine with Roman Chamomile and add to bath water for a stress-relieving bath.
  • Diffuse or apply to pillow at night for a restful sleep.
  • Add to shampoo or hair conditioner to promote healthy hair and scalp.
  • Combine with a carrier oil to massage, soothe, or rejuvenate skin.