One Night Only, That's All You have To Spare

Want to eat healthier, have more time to yourself, a less messy kitchen clean up and save a little dough??? Then why not try Meatless Monday's, a trend in introducing more veggies into the average meat eaters diet as well as reducing meat's impact on the environment. Going meat-less for even 1 night a week has so many positive implications that it is a wonder more people aren't doing it. 

For one it decreases your carbon foot print; meat production uses up a lot of energy due to the farming methods used by cattle farmers not to mention the energy used to transport the meat. Going meatless also improves your health as eating more of a plant based diet can reduce the propensity of diabetes, heart attack, high cholesterol and blood pressure by lowering your consumption of saturated fat. Meatless meals for the most part are quick to prepare and will have you out of the kitchen quicker. I know I enjoy not having to scrub meat encrusted pots. In 30 minutes or less you can have a delicious meal of sauteed veggies atop quinoa leaving you more time to relax after a long day of work. Meatless meals are also cheaper to prepare and can save you money at the market, leaving you more cash in your pocket in these recessionary times.

As a vegan I am a proponent of eating vegetables and would love for more people to be eating healthfully through plant based diets even if for one night.

I challenge you to reduce your meat consumption for one night. Try Meatless Mondays and let me know your experience.

Don't Be Too Sweet

Do not be fooled by all these artificial sweeteners that claim to be better for you than the real thing. Many of them lure people with there advertisements of being low or no calories and promise not to spike your blood sugar levels like the real thing. Natural sugar comes from the sugar cane plant and while not healthy in large quantities it is still better for you than the other stuff.

Hear me out I am in no way encouraging that people eat cane sugar any more than I would encourage eating a high fat diet, I am saying however that if you are going to to eat sugar it might as well be one that is naturally occurring on earth and not created chemically in a lab. Many of the artificial sugars on the market cause cancer and death in lab rats. While humans are not rats I am still wary of anything that can potentially cause harm to any life form.

If you have a sweet tooth and are looking for less harmful sweeteners I encourage looking into these:

• stevia
• agave
• maple sugar

All the above mentioned sweeteners are plant based and naturally occurring unlike 'corn sugar' aka high fructose corn syrup (but that is a whole other blog for another day).

Please know that having a 'sweet tooth' and indulging yourself in candy, cookies, pies, soda and refined carbohydrates can very well lead you down the road to 'diabesity' (diabetes and obesity). Limiting your sugar intake is wise, as sugar is addictive;the more you have it, the more you want it. While I know it's unrealistic for most to swear off sugar in any form I do encourage natural sources of it and small quantities.

BE WELL!!!!

I like My Hummus Preservative Free Thank You!!!

There is definitely a reason I choose to cook all my own food and rarely eat out. The longer I live a vegan existence the more efficient my body becomes at recognizing insidious invaders like preservatives, additives and pesticides that may unintentionally pass my palate.

I recently discovered a certain brand of hummus (that shall remain nameless) in an effort to extend shelf life (I assume) has added a preservative that my tummy didn't like, and let's just say I paid for the hummus twice. My very attuned body also broke out in hives. 

The take away message here is: eat food that is as natural and close to its original state as possible and don't think because a food is 'healthy' that the company that is packaging it cares as much about what goes into it as you do. Food companies unfortunately are in the money making business and not in the keeping you healthy business. I admonish you all to read labels very carefully even if you have been eating a certain product for years you never now when there might me an ingredient change. If you have the capacity to cook for yourself, definitely take the time to prepare your own meals; your connection to how you nourish yourself is extremely important. Needless to say the next time I eat hummus it will be made by me and preservative and additive free.

BE WELL!!!!

Prevention is Better Than Cure

With the change in the season, the levels of stress people are experiencing and crappy diets, immune systems are down and the rate of catching colds are up. In order not to fall prey I am boning up on vitamin C, water, green leafy vegetables and getting some fresh air so I can to minimize my chances of my body being an incubator for the cold virus. Here are some simple but effective things you can do to minimize your chances of 'catching' a cold:

• Get 8 hours of sleep a night.
• Drink half you body weight in water (ex: 125 lbs/2 =62.5/8(amt of ounces in a cup of water)=7.8 or 8 cups of water).
• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables (at least 9 servings per day).
• Wash your hands with soap and water throughout the day and especially after going to the bathroom.
• Get proper ventilation in your home, office and car. Colds are less likely to thrive in areas where there is good air ventilation.
• Manage your stress. High stress levels are shown to compromise your immune system.
• Minimize contact with individuals whom exhibit cold symptoms.

It all seems like common sense, however when crazy work schedules force you to reach for coffee and redbull to keep you going, the weekends begin and end in late night partying, fast food is convenient, and fresh air is lacking in most living environments, I would have to take the stance that the common becomes less so. Prevention is definitely better than cure so nip it in the bud before it can flourish.

What are things you do to maintain optimal health?

Altering your Mood Through Smell

Every morning before I leave for work I make sure to pat on some essential oils that are not only going to have me smelling good but create a mood. Whether I want to be pepped up, calmed down, have my sanity restored or attain clarity I can always count on aromatherapy to assist me in reaching that particular state. According to the article 'Scents & Scensibility' by Lindsy Van Gelder in the November issue of Whole Living, "Smell is the most evocative of the five senses, which means fragrance is more than just a luxury,it's a pipeline to memory and mood".

In addition to my burgeoning meditation practice I often burn nag champa incense, or dab a bit of lavender oil on my pulse point and inhale deeply to decompress from a rough day. The smells create a sense of balance for me and allow me to shift to a more positive place in my mind. Here are some of my favorite essential oils and their benefits:

• Bergamot-balancing, regenerating
• Clary Sage-antidepressant, anti-anxiety, uplifting
• Grapefruit- aids mood swings, relieves nervous exhaustion and stress
• Lavender- antidepressant,calming, rejuvenating, enhances the immune system
• Patchouli- sedative in low doses, stimulating in high doses, aphrodisiac
• Peppermint- uplifting, clearing, refreshing, mental stimulant
• Rose- antidepressant, sedative, effective in aiding grief, sadness and feminine complaints
• Sandalwood- antidepressant, aphrodisiac, aids nervous tension & anxiety

Use essential oils singularly or in blends. Create your own signature scent and carry it around with you to create whatever mood you choose at any time of the day.

What are your favorite scents and what positive mood do they cultivate for you?


Disclaimer: Remember essential oils are concentrated so use them diluted in carrier oils. Never put them directly on your skin and keep them out of the way of heat and light.

Tips on Picking a Doctor

As a proponent of wellness I absolutely believe being healthy is important and having a relationship with a knowledgable health professional is paramount. I  am displeased unfortunately with the way some allopathic (M.D.'s) doctor's are forced to work with their clients; which I suspect is driven by insurance companies and the biling of services. Many times care is driven by cash flow which means the more patients are seen the more the doctor can potentially make. Taking too much time out to assess a patient from a holistic viewpoint may be too costly. While I get it, it doesn't mean I like it. I read a great little book last year that shared some tips on how to choose your doctor and want to share that information with you my beloved audience.

Tips on how to choose your doctor taken from What Your Doctor Won't (or Can't) Tell You: Doctors, hospitals, drugs & insurance- what you need to know to take charge of your own health care by Evan S. Levine, MD:

• Call the physician's office- If the staff picks up in a timely fashion it's telling as to if they are attentive and cordial. Ask the staff where the doctor trained in residency, went to school and whether he is board certified. Check medical school ranking. Find out out what hospital he admits to. If you are not happy with the staff's response move on.
• Meet and talk to the doctor- If you are unhappy with his demeanor or mannerisms, if he is unkempt, or if you are uncomfortable either go see or ask for another doctor. If the office is dirty, walk out before meeting the doctor.
• Disregard all advertisements- As they may be misleading.
• Do not call 800 numbers at the local hospital in your search for a doctor.
• If you end up in a hospital where your physician does not work, do not automatically accept the physician assigned to you. Have the staff call your doctor and see if he can suggest someone.
• Only accept someone else's advice about their physician if you feel your friend has done his or her homework.
• When your doctor sends you to a specialist, always ask him for two different recommendations.
• Never wait in an office for more than an hour.
• Make sure the physician accepts your insurance.
• If you have no insurance or only have medicaid, go to a clinic at a University Medical Center.

I hope these tips prove to be helpful. Print them out and keep them in your mind the next time you may have to choose a health care provider.

Are you ADHD or Just Having Trouble With These 5 Things?

I find myself at times not being able to concentrate on any one thing. Being a slight hypochondriac I diagnosed myself with ADHD...lol! while ADHD is a real condition, I neglected to take into consideration these 5 things that according to health.com can lead to individuals having trouble concentrating.

The 5 Reasons people have trouble concentrating:

1. Technology overload
2. Lack of sleep
3. Poor job ssatisfaction
4. Too much stress
5. Too Little Exercise

After looking closer at my life and assessing my levels of stress I had to admit that I was guilty of 4 of the 5 items outlined in the article and I had to laugh at my hasty diagnosis of ADHD. My focus is to make certain I stop emailing, answering calls and checking Facebook before bed, getting enough sleep so I wake up refreshed, not worrying too much about everything, getting out of the office at lunch time to get fresh air and go for a nice long walk and making certain not to stay at work too late so I can attend my dance classes.

What are you committed to doing so that you are able to be present and more focused in your daily life? What do you have to do less of to ensure that happens?