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Category: Wellness

Chilled Avocado Soup Recipe

Chilled Avocado Soup Recipe

October 13, 2021

For me, fall is soup season.  Last year I shared some of my favorite fall soup recipes, and this year I am adding chilled avocado soup to my recipe box. I haven’t made this soup yet, but I can’t wait to try it!

Benefits of Avocado

I love avocado on everything, toast, tacos, chili, as a snack with strawberries, in salads, and now this chilled avocado soup.  Eating foods that are satiating and nutritious are very important to me.  I can’t consume empty calories anymore.  They don’t serve me, and they cause inflammation in my body.

Did you know avocado is a fruit?  I didn’t!  And they contain LOTS of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin K, C, B5, B6, E, Folate, and Potassium, small amounts of magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, phosphorous, and vitamin A, B1, B2, and B3, PLUS fiber!  Avocado contains more potassium than bananas, which is linked to reducing blood pressure.

Chilled Avocado Soup Recipe

Avocados also contain lots of heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids.  But eating this fruit with lots of fat in it isn’t bad for you; it can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. They are also good for your eyes and may help prevent cancer.  Don’t those facts right there make you want to eat them?  With all the screen time I have with my job; my eyes are tired.

Chilled Avocado Soup Recipe

Chilled Avocado Soup

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large avocado, peeled, and pit removed
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Place the avocado, chicken broth, Tabasco, and lime juice in a blender or food processor. 
  • Process until smooth.
  • Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
  • Prior to serving, whisk the heavy cream and sour cream into the avocado mixture until combined. 
  • Ladle the soup into 4 soup bowls, garnish with the fresh cilantro and serve. 

Alternative Toppings You Can Add

To add additional protein to your soup, you can top it with shredded chicken, bacon pieces, or shredded crab meat.  For a crunch add some sourdough croutons or scallions.  Or add tomatoes

Non-Dairy Version Of Chilled Avocado Soup

If you’d like to make this recipe without heavy cream or sour cream, you can whip up all of the other ingredients in a blender and substitute them with non-dairy options.  When mixed in the blender, the blender fills the mixture with air, making it thicker.  If you want a thinner consistency, add more broth.

Chilled Avocado Soup Recipe

Holiday Spiked Sangria Recipe

Spiked Holiday Sangria Recipe

September 28, 2021

It’s now officially Fall!  Time to get out your cozy sweaters, ponchos, and boots and mix up this spiked holiday sangria recipe to enjoy while sitting by a fire.  I love the smell and colors of Fall.  And this cocktail recipe combines many flavors of the colder months.  This recipe is also great to serve up for the winter holidays!

How to Make this Spiked Holiday Sangria

Holiday Spiked Sangria Recipe

Spiked Holiday Sangria

Simple, Red Spiked Sangria made with simple methods and just a few ingredients. The perfect fruity beverage that’s adaptable and delicious!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Marinade Time 1 day
Calories 300 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1.5L bottle of sweet red wine (Sweet Red Blend by Barefoot)
  • 1.5 - 2 cups brandy – enough to cover the fruit
  • 1 can of seltzer or carbonated water (try one with a hint of lime)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 4 navel oranges
  • 4 gala apples
  • 1/2 lbs. red seedless grapes
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 lime
  • 2 cinnamon sticks

Instructions
 

  • Peel and dice the oranges, core, and dice the apples, and cut the grapes in half. Then slice up the lemon and lime and save half of each for garnish – set aside in a ziplock bag.
    Holiday Spiked Sangria Recipe
  • Marinade all the cut fruit (only a few lemon and lime slices – keep the rest aside) in a large bowl with the brown sugar, brandy, and cinnamon sticks. Let sit overnight in the fridge.
  • The next day, remove the lemon and lime from the marinade and add your sweet red wine to the brandy. Make sure you have a large pitcher.
    Holiday Spiked Sangria Recipe
  • To serve: put some mixed fruit and sangria in a glass with ice and use the slices of lemon and lime to garnish. Enjoy!
Keyword holiday sangria, sangria, spiked holiday sangria, spiked sangria

Accessories for the Perfect Drink

For a beautiful drink like this, it deserves to be made and served in some pretty glassware.  I love this pitcher from Kohls.

86 ounce pitcher Serve it in these fun colorful glasses with lots of ice for a refreshing cocktail any time of day.  Cheers!

Do you have a favorite sangria recipe?  Please share it with me, I’d love to try it!

 

How to quit sugar

I Have An Addiction – How To Quit Sugar

June 14, 2021

I have an addiction, and I need to quit sugar.  Ok, I said it.  I bet I am not the only one who has this problem either.  But it can be bad.  When I give myself permission to have sugar it can go one of two ways.  It will either open the floodgates and make me want more, or I can have a sip or a taste of something and then not need to have any more of the item I am tasting.

My Addiction

When I am in the right mindset, I can be very good about not doing something that I know isn’t good for me.  That’s how things were when I began my wellness journey in 2019.  I had gone to my chiropractor’s office to work with my doctor and we came up with a plan to find out why I was struggling with unexplained weight gain.  I was “dieting”, eating well, and working out; but hadn’t been able to lose weight.  She did a blood test on me and found out I was battling leaky gut.  So we cleaned up my nutrition to remove gluten, dairy and eggs.

When I made these changes to my nutrition, I also lowered my consumption of sugar.  I was eating more natural and whole foods, plant-based foods.  With that I didn’t have as many cravings for sugar.  I didn’t necessarily cut out sugar cold turkey; but my cravings were less because I was eating good quality foods.  When you eat good quality foods, your need for junk food decreases.  You are more satisfied from the good food you are taking in.

This year, I am struggling with sugar and my sweet tooth.  I don’t know if it is related to hormonal changes, or I am not being strong enough with my will power.  But something isn’t clicking in my brain right now to make me behave.

What Are The Dangers of Too Much Sugar?

We all know that eating a diet with excess sugar can cause weight gain; but there’s more.  Besides obesity, a diet of more than 150g of fructose per day spikes your risk of developing high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

It can also cause mood swings, with the highs and lows from the dips and rises of your blood sugar levels.  There is also the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.  When you eat sugar, your body produces insulin.  So every single time you consume sugar, you are making insulin.  Too much insulin can affect your arteries all over your body.  This can cause inflammation, heart disease, heart attacks or strokes.

How to quit sugar

Did you know that if you were to have a candy bar and a soda every day, you’ll gain a pound a week?  Imagine taking in that sugar in other forms that you think are healthy!  For example, having a breakfast of orange juice and a bowl of cereal is almost as bad as having that candy bar and a soda for breakfast.  Take a look at the sugar contents of the cereal and compare it to the candy bar.  Now take a look at a soda and compare that to the sugar in the orange juice.  Scary right?

Why Is It So Hard To Quit Sugar?

Simple sugars cause an instant energy hit, which may be why people are more prone to grabbing a quick snack of something sweet.  People see sugar and sweets as a reward.  So if you refrain from having sweets, it feels like you are punishing yourself.

Having too many carbs in your diet can also enable the sugar habit.  A carbohydrate releases dopamine and serotonin when you eat it.  These are “feel-good” hormones.  When those hormones go up, your mood goes up.  Carbohydrates and/or sugar cause that to happen more quickly.  When you do this often, your body craves more after the initial taste.  It’s often compared to a drug because you have a little and then you want more.

You need fats and proteins mixed into your meal to make you feel more satisfied.  The simple sugars found in breads and carbohydrate heavy foods only satisfy you for a short time; whereas foods with proteins and fats take longer to break down.  This helps with your insulin control.

Tips For How To Quit Sugar

Preparation

I know I am most successful with eating well when my fridge is stocked with vegetables and fruits, my dinner options are thawed out ahead of time, and I have a plan to follow for the week.  I find we get stuck when we haven’t thought about dinner ahead of time, and don’t have something planned or thawed out in time.

When getting groceries, it’s really best to clean, prep and cut up your produce before putting it in the fridge.  Ideally, I wish I did this every time we brought home groceries.  But I’m trying.  When I have fresh blueberries on the counter that are already washed, I do grab a handful of them to snack on.

When I have snacks that are readily available and better choices for me, I am more successful.  I also wand my kids to have healthier options to select from when they get home from school.  I’ve always seen them excited about a new snack when it’s cut up and prepared already for them.  Presentation makes a big difference.

When eating your food, be mindful of how fast you are eating.  Take the time to chew your food.  Slow down so your brain will catch up with your stomach.  Eat meals about every 4 hours.  This will help stabilize your blood sugar.  Those meals should contain protein, fiber and good fats.

I made these watermelon skewers once and they thought it was the best snack!

Mindset

This is the hardest part of it all for me.  At least right now, I am finding that I want something sweet more often and it’s been harder for me to resist.  I think part of the reason for this is because many foods contain additional sweeteners in them.

I thought I was making a better choice by selecting a dairy-free vanilla yogurt.  However, the vanilla flavored yogurt contains many more sugars in it than a plain yogurt.  I need to get into the habit now of having the plain yogurt and adding fruits, chia seeds, nuts, cinnamon or a tiny amount of agave or honey to the yogurt.

Just being aware and conscious of what you put in your mouth is the first step in trying to reduce the amount of sugar you eat each day.  Ideally, we don’t want to have more than 6 teaspoons a day of sugar per day.  These sugars can be found naturally in some foods like fruit, breads, juices, and sauces.  Be aware that sugar hides in many foods we eat like spaghetti sauces, ketchup and barbecue sauce, and natural sugars are found in fruits.  Check the labels when shopping.

Movement

I’ve said it before and I am a huge believer in being active every day.  I am not the perfect student when it comes to practicing what I preach; but working out is a large priority of my daily routine.  I work out at least 5-6 times per week.

Here’s a suggestion, if you are feeling like you need a snack or a quick sugar fix, try taking a walk.  Get up from your desk or wherever you may be and move around.  Do it with intention.  Set a timer and make a plan with yourself to walk for 10 minutes around your yard, neighborhood, or place of work.  Be intentional in using your mind over matter.  A change of scenery will help take your mind off of what you are craving.

Be Kind To Yourself

If you are the type of person who can work well with controlled portions, then it’s ok to indulge from time to time; but only a little bit.  For me sometimes, a forkful of a piece of cake is all I need to feel like I am enjoying a sweet dessert along with everyone else.  Sometimes, it is all I need to satisfy the craving I was having in the first place.

Mix a little sweetness into your snacks.  For instance, add some chocolate chips to your trail mix.  The salty and sweet are a nice combination.  Or make some ants on a log with bananas (or celery), peanut butter and chocolate chips.

Feed Your Skull a Snack: Party Ants on a Log

The sweetness doesn’t have to come from chocolate; you can use raisins, fruit, artificial sweeteners, lemon juice, agave, or honey to add natural sugar to the food.  But you need to be aware of the dangers with adding these to your diet. That’s why it is important to remember the “All things in moderation rule”.

Have you seen people who drink a lot of diet Coke because it is diet, so they think they are doing something better?  It’s not though.  They are tricking their brains into thinking they are having something sweet, which activates the body to prepare to capture the incoming sugars to process into energy.  But then the chemical just goes through the body without being used, and over time, teaches the body to not process sweet things when you ingest them.

I’ve never been a fan of artificial sweeteners.  I don’t like the chemical taste, aspartame gives me a migraine, and I feel better knowing the source of where the food or drink is coming from.  I’d prefer to just use real sugar or a natural sweetener to control flavor and sweetness.

How to quit sugar

Do you struggle with a sweet tooth?

What do you do to help curb your appetite for sweets?  I’d love to hear how you get over the struggle!

How To Reset Your Gut Health

April 29, 2021

I am in a state of reset when it comes to all aspects of my health.  Today I’ll share with you how to reset your gut health and understand the importance of it.  I am seeing a doctor to work through my leaky gut diagnosis.  I recommend you check with a doctor if you are having issues with bloating, gas, trouble losing weight, inflammation, and/or brain fog.

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

I began a program with my doctor from Modern Health & Wellness back in 2019.  I did very well with it; but over the past year my body is going through many changes.  I just turned 49 this year and am in the phase of life where my body is starting to go through “the change”.  With this, comes some challenges like weight gain, belly fat, forgetfulness, trouble sleeping, and mood swings.

I recently had my physical and blood work done, and my A1C numbers were not where I’d like them to be, and my triglycerides were extremely high.  I went back to Dr. Jen to reset my nutrition and gut health.  My first visit with her this week was to set my expectations and determine what is best while I do the reset.

How to Reset Your Gut Health

I have cheated a little bit with my nutrition.  I ate some foods with gluten or ice cream from time to time.  Unfortunately, gluten is my worst enemy.  So I am going back to my elimination diet where I will completely avoid gluten, dairy and eggs.

When the gut isn’t healthy it affects many other areas of our body.  When you experience changes in your body (menopause, lifestyle, stress, medication changes), your sensitive gut can get out of balance.

Intermittent Fasting

The first step Dr. Jen recommended that I take is to reset my hours with intermittent fasting.  This is one of the easiest steps in the reset gut health process.  With our busy schedule with softball and karate, we have been eating dinners after 8:00 each night.  Jen said that is almost too late for me to have my last meal of the day. She said I should be fasting from 12-14 hours.

Even if we can’t all eat together at the same time, we can certainly sit at the same table at the same time and have our family time together.  I can make my digestive tea or have some room temperature water and sit and sip it while everyone else is eating.  It is also important to wait at least 90 minutes between meals.  Again, letting your gut do what it needs to digest your foods.

Fasting is important because it is giving your gut, time to heal from all of the work it did during the day.  Your body can adjust the hormone levels to make stored body fat more accessible to burn off.  Your insulin levels will drop, which makes stored body fat more accessible.  Your cells also repair themselves during your period of rest from eating.

Digestive Tea

Another great aid to heal your gut is to brew digestive tea and drink it throughout the day.  Your body prefers to have warm or room temperature foods and liquids so this tea is good to have with you throughout the day.

How to Reset Your Gut Health

The recipe is very simple:

      • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
      • 1/2 tsp coriander
      • 1/2 cumin seeds

Boil 4 cups of water, let the tea steep for at least 5 minutes, and drink with every meal for about 2 weeks.  The fennel seeds help with flatulence, bloating and indigestion.  The coriander seeds also help with gas.  It can help calm the intestinal spasms that can lead to diarrhea.  Cumin works to promote your pancreatic enzymes and assist in the digestion process, actually speeding it up.  Cumin also, helps increase the release of bile from the liver, which helps digest fats and certain nutrients in your gut.  It also helps with gas.

As you may be able to see here, the tea is a great source of relief for restoring the health of your gut.  It stokes metabolism, and revs up the detoxification process.  It also restores tone and tightness to waterlogged tissues and helps reduce inflammation.

Additional Fiber

I was also given a recipe for a special fiber drink to have every night before bed.  This will help regulate my bowel movements and help clear out my intestines.

      • 1 tsp psyllium husks
      • 1 tsp ground flax seeds

Drink it quickly and chase down with water 1-2 hours before bed.  If it is too hard on the intestines, reduce the recipe to 1/2 tsp until you can tolerate it.

Psyllium seed husks are great for adding bulk to your intestinal tract. This makes you feel fuller while eating less.  It also helps manage glucose levels and high cholesterol.  The ground flax seeds are a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids which help with lowering triglycerides.

Using the psyllium and ground flax seeds will be helpful for weight loss and intestinal issues because the fiber from these ingredients will add bulk to the intestinal tract and help flush out our system.  Again, remember to start with a little and build up to what you can tolerate.

Prebiotics and Probiotics

I use a prebiotic every morning in a cup of hot water with some lemon juice.  This sets the stage for my day by allowing the prebiotic (affil) to feed and nourish the good bacterial that naturally exists in your gut.  When you add fiber to your gut, it’s fermented in the large intestine by the bacteria that live there.  Like the fiber drink, start with a smaller serving size than suggested until you can tolerate it without needing to use the restroom frequently.


A probiotic, is a live microorganism that functions like good bacterial in the gut.  You can take probiotic (affil) supplements, or you can eat foods that contain probiotics.  The probiotics repopulate the good bacteria, which then overwhelms the bad bacterial.  Foods that contain probiotics are: yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, sauerkraut, kombucha, pickled vegetables, kimchi, miso, and tempeh.

Elimination Diet

I already know what foods cause my intestinal inflammation from the food intolerance test that I took with Dr. Jen in 2019.  In addition to gluten, dairy and eggs, I need to cut out sugar.  I have a major sweet tooth.  Drinking the tea listed above will also help eliminate cravings for sugar.

With my elimination diet, I am being very strict with reading the ingredients on food packaging and am not “cheating” and having an occasional piece of bread, or a cookie, or ice cream.  I really shouldn’t.  When I did, during the past six to eight months, I started to gain weight again.  This is going to be key to my success of reducing the belly fat I am holding on to and will also help reduce my cravings for sugar.

When I eat more vegetables, and clean foods, reducing or eliminating any processed foods, I always feel so much better.  I have more energy and I crave more vegetables and healthier foods.

How To Reset Your Gut Health

 

How To Reset Your Gut Health

The key to staying true to any new plan is in the prep work.  When you get your groceries at home, wash, cut and store everything ahead of time.  Having your grab and go items already prepared is going to make it easier for you to make better, last minute decisions when they are in your fridge.

I’ll continue to share my journey with you, and I’m using positive affirmations to also help me be successful in this reset.

Please let me know if you have any questions about how to heal your gut!

 

A Mile A Day Challenge - Gillette Castle

Join Me In A Mile A Day Challenge

December 11, 2020

I am encouraging you to join me in a mile a day challenge to keep you active and moving throughout the holidays.  I am vowing to move (run, walk, elliptical, bike, or hike) at least a mile a day, EVERY day for the month of December.  Not just up until Christmas; but beyond it as well.  Walking, running, and hiking are the primary forms I will be using to get in my mile.  Can you do this with me?

I started doing this on December 1st on Facebook and in my Facebook group.  I decided to open it up to my blog audience to get you on board with moving your bodies and working towards some healthy habits to keep throughout the holiday season and beyond.

Why Participate In The Mile A Day Challenge?

Why would I need a mile a day challenge?  Especially since I run several times a week.  I am doing it because I need something to keep me accountable.  I also thought it would encourage others to get out and move with intention.  Now more than ever, we are indoors most of the day.  Since most of us no longer commute to an office, it’s very easy to get caught up with your job and sit away the hours without moving.

If you use a smartwatch or have a system that notifies you to move your body that’s great.  This is one more thing you can stack on to what you are already doing to help you achieve some movement goals or meet a specific step count for the day.

How To Do A Mile A Day Challenge?

I will check in with you at least once a day via the Facebook Group.  This is to set myself accountable that I did or will be heading out to do my mile.  Then, I encourage you to share a selfie of you doing your activity for the day.

I also intend to do include some fun activities for the week.  For instance, a photo challenge of the holiday lights in your neighborhood.  Then I may have a photo scavenger hunt to look for specific holiday decorations along your walk.

It’s super easy!  If you are not part of the group now, please request to join.

Who Can Do This Mile A Day Challenge?

Anyone could and should do this challenge!  I encourage my kids to come out with me as much as possible.  But if they are busy with their sports and schoolwork, I’ll head out without them.  Sometimes when the weather is bad and I don’t want to do the treadmill, I’ll head out to my driveway and listen to a podcast while looping the driveway for about 30 minutes.

Walk A Mile A Day Challenge After Dinner Walk

We even bring our dog on many of our hikes and walks.  His vet said he was obese for his age; so we scaled back on his food and increased his amount of exercise.  We have seen a difference in his size, and his energy level.  So the walking is good for all of us!

Enter to Win a Pair of CozyPhones!

Now that it’s getting colder where I live, I need to wear ear warmers when I am out running or walking.  I either wear a hat or ear warmers.  Now you have a chance to win a pair of Cozy Phone earphones!

These headphones come from a Veteran Owned business.  These headphones are not only great for using in the cold weather to keep your ears warm, but you can also use them to help fall asleep and tackle insomnia.  The headbands are great for sports, yoga, meditation and relaxation.  Kids love them too!  They won’t hurt your ears because they are not inserted directly into your ears, and there are no bulky headbands like over the ear headphones.

Mile A Day Challenge Cozy Phones

Fill out the form below for your chance to win!  A winner will be randomly selected on Sunday, December 13th at 5 p.m. EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope you’ll join me for your own health and wellness.  It’s also a great stress reliever during these busy holiday times of buying and wrapping your holiday gifts.  I also intend on doing more challenges throughout the new year.  Will you join me?  Leave a comment below and tell me why this will be helpful for you!

Horse Yoga It's Not What You Think

Horse Yoga, It’s Not What You Think

July 2, 2020

I need fresh air. and to get my hands dirty, and my bare feet in the grass. I need my yoga classes outdoors! Thankfully my friend Bri offers an amazing assortment of classes we can do outside. I did horse yoga with her and loved it!

What Is Horse Yoga?

Many people think of goat yoga when I mention horse yoga. Goat yoga is actually getting quite popular. Baby goats have open access to the students during the practice. They wander around the area and sometimes climb onto a student’s back during their poses.

Horse yoga is similar; yet without the horses climbing up on the students! The horses are on a lead and they wander throughout the class area and enjoy their endless supply of grass in the ring. They do get close enough to you where you can reach out and touch them if you wish.

Horse Yoga It's Not What You Think

I had a perfect photo opp when I was in my Savasana pose at the end of the class and I heard a horse munching on the grass near me. I opened my eyes to find this cute face looking at me!

What are the Benefits of Horse Yoga?

Combining nature, animals and yoga is a wonderful recipe for relaxation and healing. The classes are held at Equine Expressions. This is a horse farm that provides therapy with horses. The horses help people work through many conditions such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, addiction, grief, and many more. To learn more about what Equine Expressions offers, visit their website for information.

The combination of nature and animals with yoga goes together so well! Horses are spiritual animals, and yoga is a spiritual practice so it just makes sense to combine the two for a wonderful experience.

Doing yoga with animals like horses, is so good for your mind and your mood. Having a yoga class outdoors is a great way to find something deeper in you. It is fun, and doing yoga with animals is even more fun!

Having your feet in the grass and being in the fresh air is very good for your microbiomes. We spend so much time in front of screens, so it is important to unplug and move your body. Twist out the tension, slow down your breathing and listen. I love when we are starting the practice with our eyes closed, listening to the sounds around us, feeling the breeze and the sun on our skin, and smelling the scents of the farm.

The other benefit I get out of horse yoga, and yoga outdoors is the benefit of what working out in the heat offers. It’s summer here now, so when we have our classes, it’s warm out. The warm sun and the air helps me sweat out my stress and also helps me get a better stretch because I am warmer so I can loosen up a little more. I have never tried Bikram yoga; but Bri mentioned that we are doing yoga similar to that when we do our outdoor classes.

Visiting The Horses

After the class is over, we are given the opportunity to wander around the farm. This is one of my favorite parts of class because I love taking photos. I saw the perfect photo opportunity with Bri’s daughter visiting one of the horses. It looked like she and the horse were sharing a funny story.

Are You Interested In Trying it?

Bri will be holding more outdoor classes this summer, including yoga in the vineyard and sunrise and sunset yoga at Hubbard Park. Check out her Bhogah Yoga Facebook page for the schedule.

Holiday Health Challenge

Wife Mother Runner Holiday Health Challenge

November 4, 2019

The eating season has begun!! It started on Halloween and ends after the new year. That’s why I am offering help with my Holiday Health Challenge. I know I struggle with this time of year. I have a little bit of this and a pinch of that; and next thing I know, I easily gained five pounds.

I am going to share with you how NOT to gain those pounds throughout the next two months so you can enter the year 2020 without needing to lose weight; but already having healthy habits established.

OMD – One Meal A Day For The Planet

We are also going to implement the OMD – One Meal A Day for the planet approach. It will be easy. Don’t worry. You can start with just switching one meal a day with something plant-based. I’ll share recipes and meal ideas for you to make this easy to follow. Follow #OMD4thePlanet for ideas from Oprah and Suzy Amis Cameron, and also share your photos using #WMROMD4thePlanet.

I have two great video programs for you to watch for recipe ideas. The first one is Raw. Vegan. Not Gross. The second one is The Paleo Way. Sometimes the recipes seem a bit elaborate for me; but I get ideas for things like making noodles out of carrot peels, or use beets for lasagna layers instead of pasta.

How To Start The Holiday Health Challenge

  1. This isn’t going to be hard. The first steps is for you to get in the right mindset. Do you meditate? Now is a good time to start. I use the Calm app (paid version) and love it. This is a great resource to help you get ready for your day and to set your intentions.
  2. The second thing is to register to join the program. I will share with you tips, recipe ideas and fitness suggestions to help you maintain your fitness level, curb your cravings, and learn which foods are better choices.
  3. Join my Facebook Group to share your ideas, questions, success or struggles with others!
  4. Follow me on Instagram for the latest stories about the challenge.

The Benefits of Doing the Holiday Health Challenge

Know that you are doing something good for your body.

The intent of this challenge is to help you reduce inflammation in your body, consume more plant-based foods, and help save the environment. Yes, I said you can help the earth by doing this challenge. How is that? Well, by eating more plant-based foods, you are reducing your carbon footprint, and also helping reduce the impact on agriculture, as well as saving water.

Know that what you are doing will also have an impact on your family

You’d be surprised at how much your children and family members see what you do or eat and want to do what you are doing. I have been eating a cleaner diet for about 6 months now and my son told me he wants to eat healthier foods. He wants to purchase chickens that are pasture raised and non GMO. He has heard me telling people that when I purchase pre-cooked food at the grocery store, I ended up with gastrointestinal distress because those foods had been loaded with antibiotics and hormones.

Holiday Health Challenge

You don’t even have to force this new lifestyle on them. They will smell the food you are making because it is fresher and more aromatic. They will also see you enjoying your meals because they taste better.

I’m Here For You

I can’t wait to take this journey with you and hear your success stories and share recipe ideas! Please take the time now to sign up for my email newsletter and let’s get started to avoid gaining those holiday pounds!

Vinyasa In the Vineyard Yoga

Vinyasa In the Vineyard Yoga

July 23, 2019

My schedule finally opened up to allow me to participate in Vinyasa in the Vineyard Yoga with Brianne Barrett from Bhogah Yoga last weekend. It was just what I needed!

What is Vinyasa In The Vineyard?

Brianne’s class is a 75 minute yoga practice that takes place atop the Rosabianca Vineyard’s hillside. We had a beautiful view of the Vineyard from up above it, as well as the surrounding farms and hillside. It was gorgeous.

Vinyasa In The Vineyard

The class was appropriate for my level of yoga experience. If you are familiar with the names of the poses, then you can follow along easily. If you aren’t, Brianne leads while you follow. There’s no pressure to be an expert or have any experience with yoga at all.

Brianne’s Teaching Style

Brianne has a hands on approach to the class. During some of the stretches, she walked around us and assisted us into getting a deeper stretch. You can choose to decline the hands on approach if you don’t feel comfortable with that.

During the last pose which is my favorite pose “corps pose“, she came around and rubbed the arches of my feet. Feeling that sensation reminded me that I am far overdue for a massage! It was awesome.

Vinyasa In The Vineyard

I was laying on my mat, completely relaxed, in the shade of the trees. I could hear the wind rustling through the leaves; and I felt the breeze blowing over me. It was blissful.

What Do You Receive When Attending Vinyasa In The Vineyard?

Wine!

During this specific class, you will receive a drink ticket to enjoy a beverage of choice offered by the vineyard. This includes water, juice, soda or wine.

Yoga

A 75 minute yoga session taught by Brianna. You can bring your own mat, but she does provide some if you do not have one.

What To Bring To the Yoga In The Vineyard

  • Yoga mat – bring your own or borrow one from the instructor
  • Water – It’s important to stay hydrated during class
  • A small towel – If attending the class in the heat, a towel is nice to wipe the sweat off your face
  • A yoga strap – For some of the deeper stretches, it’s helpful to use a yoga strap to help you lengthen your muscles.
  • A yoga brick – If you aren’t as flexible, the brick is helpful for balance.
Vinyasa In The Vineyard

This class is a wonderful class to bring a friend to. I didn’t mind going alone. I needed some “me time” and this was the perfect prescription for that! Next time, I’d love to have some of my friends to join so they can experience the amazing, invigorating practice and then we can relax at the vineyard.

Vinyasa In The Vineyard

Do you do yoga? Do you have a local studio that does classes outdoors? If so you should really check it out! It’s a wonderful experience and something different. Share your experience with me in the comments below!

Why You Should Move A Mile Per Day

Why You Should Move A Mile Per Day

July 9, 2019

So what is this Move A Mile Per Day challenge? I borrowed this idea from a fellow blogger Audrey from MomGenerations. She started a challenge to invite people to move a mile per day, however possible. At the time she started the challenge I wasn’t ready to commit to it. Now I made the effort to do it on my own and am encouraging you all to join me!

Get Up And Move!

The challenge is really just to make you aware of your lack of movement, and to get you up and moving. You’d be surprised at how long we actually sit during a day. We sit at our desk, we sit in our car to and from work, we sit on the couch if we are watching TV at home. This is why it is important to get up a move.

I also suggest that you stand while you work throughout the day. There are so many options around to help you design a work space that looks nice and functions well. This is the standing desk I use.

Get Outside

Do you work indoors most of the day? I know I do, up until the time we have to head out to the softball field for Adrienne’s games. It’s good to get outside. Take a walk around your building at work, or if you work from home, go get the mail, or go outside to water your plants. You’d be surprised at how quickly you can move a mile per day.

Take your shoes off and walk in the grass barefoot. I did that recently and ran around catching fly balls while the girls were practicing softball and I felt like a kid! It was so revitalizing! I didn’t care if my feet got dirty. I believe dirt is good for you! It’s good for your microbiome.

Learn While Moving

One night while I was taking my walk, I listened to a podcast. On another night, I resumed listening to the audio book The Boy In The Striped Pajamas. My son is reading that book for school so I wanted to also read the book. Instead I got an audio version so I could listen to it.

Lately, audio books have been my choice for consuming books because I am in the car more. I can also listen to it while walking or running.

There are Health Benefits From Moving a Mile Per Day

Here are some side effects from moving just a mile a day

  • You may lose weight!
  • You may lower your blood pressure.
  • You will foster creativity by stepping away from work and moving, which may reduce your stress
  • Your movement may be infectious to encourage someone else to do it too!

Do You Want to Join My Challenge?

To join the challenge enter your email below.

Share pictures of how you are moving a mile per day on my Facebook page, or leave a comment and tell me how you plan to get your mile per day accomplished!

Make Your Health A Priority

Make Your Health A Priority

February 28, 2019

Many times as mothers we always put everyone else’s needs in front of our own. Recently, I had a health scare and needed to see my doctor.  I had felt a lump in my breast when I took a shower.  It did scare me; but I didn’t rush off to my doctor immediately.  I can’t tell you why.  It was in October, ironically, breast cancer awareness month.  I talked to my husband about it and finally did make the appointment to get checked.

My doctor checked me and referred me to get an ultrasound and mammogram.  She couldn’t say for sure that nothing was wrong; but didn’t think that what she felt was concerning.  That eased my mind slightly; but I knew I wouldn’t feel complete relief until I had my tests done.

In early December I had my tests done.  It was very nerve wrecking going to the Yale Smilow Breast Center to get these tests.  Honestly, I was a wreck.  My husband went with me and had to wait in the waiting room while I had everything done.  It took about an hour and I was given my answer right away.  The lump is not in the breast tissue.  It’s in my skin.  They weren’t concerned about it and told me I can see a dermatologist if I wanted to explore this more.

Why Moms Or Women Don’t Make Themselves A Priority

Time

Many times our schedules are full with our children’s activities.  I know with girl scouts, 4H, band, after school clubs, and softball we have a lot of events and activities to shuttle the kids off to.  On top of that, I have my own work schedule to manage.  I also have my workout and running routine I want to stick to.

Energy

Let’s face it, being a parent is a lot of work!  Keeping up with them, the house, and managing my business is a LOT of work.  I know it sounds like I am making excuses, and maybe I am!

Denial

Sometimes you don’t want to find out what is really going wrong.  But as a parent it is extremely important to take care of yourself.  I was scared of finding out what might be wrong.  It would be very unfair to my family if I neglected myself and let something go that should be taken care of.

How To Make Your Health A Priority

Self-Breast Exams and Mammograms

I had found my lump while in the shower and that’s where I do my breast exams.  I was at the #BlogHer conference in August and visited the Know Your Girls booth.  They shared with me that while all of us are at risk for breast cancer, including men. Black women in the U.S. are about 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women. That’s a scary number.  

Make Your Health A Priority

Here’s how you can take charge of your breast health

  • Know what’s normal for your breast tissue.
  • Make an appointment for a mammogram
  • KEEP that appointment

Here’s more information on how to do your own breast self-examination.

What Else Do You Need To Take Care of?

Yearly Physical

Most insurance companies cover the cost of a wellness visit.  Cigna has a large initiative to help individuals know their numbers.  When I was at the Walt Disney World Marathon weekend, I was invited to the Cigna Blogger Meet Up.  We had a catered lunch in the General Motors Executive Suite above Test Track and then played a vegetable and fruit racing game to raise awareness of knows our numbers to keep us healthy.

I participated in the free screening to have my numbers checked.  I think this is a great resource to help individuals find out about health conditions that may be going on in your body, but you aren’t aware that you are at risk because you don’t feel any different.

Make Your Health A Priority

Cigna was also the presenting sponsor for the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, so they were offering the health screenings at the Expo.  They do this every year and I always participate so I can get a quick peak at my numbers in between my doctor appointments.

Skin Care

My mother has melanoma.  I’m almost 47 years old and when I was a kid, sunscreen wasn’t something we used diligently.  In fact, we would lather on baby oil and lay in the sun to burn.  Or we went to tanning salons to get a tan for the prom, weddings, and vacations.

Now skin cancer rates are on the rise.  As a parent I always slather sunscreen on my kids since they were babies.  I am so proud of my kids to know that when they are heading out to the pool that they know to put on their sunblock.  My son accidentally got a bad sunburn because he was in the pool without his sun shirt and sunblock.  I felt like the worst parent in the world when he was crying in pain from that sunburn.  I also felt like I was going to cause him to have skin cancer because of it.

As I write this, I know I have to make an appointment to have my skin checked.  I already had some pre-cancerous marks removed from my skin two years ago.  So it is important to stay on top of any changes in your skin.  Do you know the ABC’s of skin cancer screening?

Dental Care

I used to HATE going to the dentist.  I would rather go to the gynecologist than the dentist.  Every year I would make my appointment and then cancel it.  In the past 10 years I have been much better at keeping and going to my dentist.

Are You Going To Make Your Health A Priority

There are so many things we can’t control.  But taking care of ourselves is one of them.  I want to share with you that a friend of mine who is very diligent with her health and taking care of herself and breast exams has recently found out that she has breast cancer.

I shared a video from Fitz in my blog post about my running goals.  Fitz is well-known in the runDisney community.  She is one of my biggest cheerleaders!  At the end of every race she is there to give me a hug and NEVER minds receiving a sweaty hug from her running friends!

Make Your Health A Priority

She shared the announcement about her breast cancer with us over the weekend.  She takes care of herself and gets her exams done diligently.   While she had her exam in December and it was clear, she found a lump in February and had it tested and will now be moving forward to fight it.

This is just proof that you have to take care of yourself, do your self exams.  Thankfully Fitz did have a clean scan three months ago and when she noticed something wasn’t right she immediately called her doctor 30 minutes later and proceeded to get things checked.  I will be Fitz’s cheerleader now as she goes through her fight.

Take Care Of Yourself!  Do you keep your appointments?  If not, please do yourself and your family a favor and make your appointments and be well!

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