Watch More Sunsets

When I was living in New Paltz going to college, a friend and I used to "chase the sunset." When our schedule permitted, we hopped into the car and drove up into the mountains to watch and watch the sunset. We made this a regular habit for a while and there were nights where we'd literally have to chase the sunset, and just find any nook to catch it's last light. 

This was a BEAUTIFUL habit. 

Now, lets be honest here. That time of my life was not a healthy time. At all. However, I still remember a shift in myself during that time where we were on this kick. It made me slow down and reflect on the day that was just about to pass. It made me feel more gratitude for what I had. It also was just so relaxing. 

I miss my irresponsible college days where I actually had the time to do this practice. However, I do make it a point to enjoy sunsets during my commute home. Or if I'm at home and notice the sky is a gorgeous color, I'll take a moment to walk outside to check it out. I especially make sure to watch a few sunsets while I'm away on vacation. So good for our souls!!!

Eat the Yolks

I always laugh when I see egg white omelets on the "healthy side" of a restaurant menu...it's exactly the opposite. Eggs are a PERFECT whole food. When we separate the yolk from the egg, we're depriving our bodies of the nutrition it deserves. They are loaded with healthy fat and cholesterol that our bodies crave and need. Eat the yolks, don't fear them!  

Check out Liz Wolfe's new book for much more information. 

Coconut Oil Ghee

Green Pasture's Coconut Ghee blend is heaven-sent!  Not only am I head over heals in love with Green Pasture's products (their Fermented Cod Liver Oil is literally altering my overall health for the absolute better!), but this is the most delicious stuff I've had in a while.  I fry my morning eggs with it and/or cook my greens with it and the flavor is unreal.  A great company - a great product - a must try!

Choose FUN Workouts!

We all have jam-packed lives, but we know squeezing in a workout is key to good health.  However, if our workouts aren't something that we enjoy, what the heck is going to make us stop all that we have to do to go do one?!  Lately, I've been uber crunched for time, but dying to get in workouts.  I set up stations in my living room to change things up a bit and to bang something out really fast.  For example, I'll set up 3-4 stations and do 1-2 minutes at each, and move right to the next, a total of 3 rounds.  One station may be hula hooping (as seen above!), another may be ab-work or crunches, another is jump roping, another is kettlebells, another is incorporating a large exercise ball, another may be lunges with weights, etc.  A few of these may all be happening while blasting my favorite work out tunes in the back to keep me going.  

Moral of my workouts is that whatever I do, it's loads of FUN & movement!    

Drop any ideas you may have of what a workout has to look like and take a moment 

to think about what physical activities excite you.

How can you incorporate more of those activities into your weekly routine so that you can move more?

CYH's Moment of Yoga: Open your heart

Heart and chest openers are oh-so-important this time of year and for a few reasons:

1. Opening our chest and taking a few deep breaths will cleanse our lungs of any stale breath that's lingering.  As soon as we rid our lungs of that stale breath and inhale replenishing them with fresh breath, we're leaving less room to get a chest cold.  

2. Think about our habits and lifestyle each day.  Many of us are on the computer for hours at a time, driving in the car, doing dishes or cooking, etc.  What do those things have in common?  We tend to hunch forward while we do them, causing us to close off our chest area.  Let's open that area up and press our shoulder blades together on our back.  

3. As we approach Thanksgiving, a season of gratitude, it's important for our hearts to be open.  When we physically open our chest area and create that space in our chest, and then bring our attention to our heart center with our minds, we can embrace the emotions that come with this season.  When you experience feelings of gratitude you feel love.  When you feel love and gratitude it's hard to feel anger, stress or negative thoughts.  

My favorite chest openers in yoga are matysasana (fish pose) & dhanurasana (bow pose).  The easiest is  a standing yoga mudra, where you just clasp your hands behind your back, hinge forward as you lift the arms and breathe as you open your chest.  Give one a try today and see how much better your chest feels.  Make some space for some love to pour into your heart!

Health Supports Sex...Sex Supports Health!

Last week on Facebook, quite a few people posted an image with the message: "Describe your sex life with a movie title." I scrolled past it quite a few times down my newsfeed and it got me thinking...

...about how beneficial sex is to our health. I know, I'm such a nerd and always have to somehow tie wellness into every little aspect of my life and thoughts! But for real, sex is great for way much more than just burning some calories (actually sex burns about 5 calories per minute). Check out how a great sex life can:

Keep you healthy: Good sexual health may mean better physical health. Having sex once or twice a week has been linked with higher levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin A or IgA, which can protect you from getting colds and other infections.

Mellow you out: Life is stressful, and while there are many known ways to ease it like breathing deeply, practicing yoga, exercising, etc....a good ol' fashion roll in the hay helps it too! Though blood pressure levels spike during the act itself, maintaining a healthy sex life helps us keep blood pressure and stress levels low. Also, having an orgasm curbs irritability and releases tension. So, get busy!

Tone pelvic floor muscles: Unfortunately, when we age (especially women), our muscles "down there" tend to weaken resulting in some issues with pee pee control. Good thing is, sex tones the pelvic muscles that support your uterus, bladder, and bowel, meaning better control.

Give you a youthful glow: Ever notice that obvious glow exuding from you after a dance in the sheets (despite the messy sex bed-head!)? In addition to boosting self-esteem and confidence, sex increases the production of human growth hormone, which is known to improve muscle tone to help slow the aging process. Cool thing too, researchers are also finding that those who enjoy their sex lives tend to live a good 8-10 years longer!

Not only does being healthy support your sex life, but sex actually supports your health! Back to that cheesy Facebook question...what movie best describes your sex life (or desired one)? Mine is no better described than Baby & Johnny gettin' busy to Solomon Burke in the Dirty Dancing scene above!!!!

1 - 2 - 3 Guacamole!

The trick to perfect guacamole is using good, ripe avocados. Check for ripeness by gently pressing the outside of the avocado. If there is no give, the avocado is not ripe yet and will not taste good. If there is a little give, the avocado is ripe. If there is a lot of give, the avocado may be past ripe and not good. In this case, taste test first before using.

This quick recipe is unbelievably easy and could go many ways depending on the tastes you desire and/or what you have in the house! Pair your guacamole with chips, slather it on a wrap (can be substitute for cheese!), drop some on your rice and beans or stuff it on your sandwich. It’s all good!

Ingredients:

2 ripe avocados

1 lime, juiced

½ teaspoon olive oil

sea salt to taste

½ handful of fresh cilantro (optional)

Other Optional Ingredients:

Feel free to add some finely chopped red onion to your guacamole if you have some. Same goes for tomatoes, add one ripe, chopped tomato (seeds and pulp removed). The acidity from the tomato will actually help the guacamole from turning brown. If you prefer your guacamole with garlic, add a minced clove to this recipe.

Directions:

Peel and mash avocados in a serving bowl. Stir in other ingredients. Season with remaining lime juice and sea salt to taste. Chill for half an hour to blend flavors, keeping the pits of the avocados in the bowl until it’s served. See, it's as easy as 1 - 2 - 3! ENJOY!

Benefits of Avocados:

Avocados have gotten a bad rap because of their fat content. However, fat is a macronutrient much need by the body. Fat insulates the body, helps transport hormones and is a source of stored energy. Remember, it is the quality of fats that you take into your body that needs attention. Avocado is a quality source of monounsaturated fats which aids the absorption of its fat soluble vitamins E and K. It is important to note that avocados also contain B vitamins and Vitamin C and its potassium content is three times that of a banana!

Dark Chocolate = Healthy Chocolate!

I'm preparing a nutrition seminar on all of the health benefits of chocolate and it's all I've been thinking about, studying and eating lately! I've never been a chocolaholic, but I do enjoy a good bite of dark chocolate each day for my health.

Recent studies say dark chocolate -- not white chocolate or milk chocolate -- is good for you! What is it about dark chocolate? Chocolate is made from plants, which means it contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables. These benefits are from flavonoids, which act as antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease. Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants (nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries). Flavonoids also help relax blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide, and balance certain hormones in the body. Dr. Andrew Weil has dark chocolate included in his anti-inflammatory food pyramid!! How exciting is that?!
Taste the Chocolate
Chocolate is a complex food with over 300 compounds and chemicals in each bite. To really enjoy and appreciate chocolate, take the time to taste it. Professional chocolate tasters have developed a system for tasting chocolate that include assessing the appearance, smell, feel and taste of each piece.
Go for 70% Dark Chocolate
You should look for pure dark chocolate or dark chocolate with nuts, orange peel or other flavorings. Avoid anything with caramel, nougat or other fillings. These fillings are just adding sugar and fat which erase many of the benefits you get from eating the chocolate. Be sure to look for a brand that contains at least 70 percent cocoa.
Skip the Milk
It may taste good but some research shows that milk chocolate, or washing your chocolate down with a glass of milk could prevent the antioxidants being absorbed or used by your body.
But On The Negative Side...
1. Chocolate may trigger headaches in migraine sufferers. Sorry guys.

2. Chocolate is considered dangerous to animals because it contains a stimulant called theobromine, which they can't digest. Dark chocolate and baking chocolate are even more dangerous because they contain higher concentrations of the substance. This applies whether chocolate is in candy bar form, or an ingredient in cake, cookies, puddings or ice cream. If a pet becomes ill after eating chocolate, take it to the vet immediately.

3. Even though it may be healthy, dark chocolate can be very caloric. Savor and enjoy a piece a day, not a bar!

Heart Healthy Food for Superbowl Noshing

I'm SO not into football, in fact, I strongly dislike it (sorry!!). However, the Superbowl has always excited me. Not that I actually watch or understand anything that goes on besides the halftime presentation or the fantastic commercials, I've just always LOVED preparing yummy, fun food to sit in front of the TV and nosh out to! My microwaved bagel bites with ranch dressing days are long gone (heavens, those little artery packers were so darn-good with that ranch!), so I've had to be a little more health conscious in my snack preparing. That's why I'm sharing my favorite plate of Heart Healthy Nachos for you to enjoy just as much as I do!!!

Who ever said that nachos always have to have cheese or meat? Silly! This recipe is so flavorful, I promise you won’t miss the animal products. The creamy guacamole, heart-healthy beans, salsa and fresh cilantro create a satisfying array of flavors for this simple, healthy snacking dish. Best part, because it's so heart healthy, you'll have a taste of some of the not so heart healthy dishes without feeling guilty.

Lauren's Heart Healthy Nachos
Ingredients:
1 (BPA-free) can black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 (BPA-free) can pinto beans (rinsed and drained)
dash of cumin
dash of chili powder

dash of cayenne pepper (if you're feelin' feisty!)
approx. 3-4 heaping tablespoons of all natural salsa
1 avocado
½ lime
handful of fresh cilantro chopped
sea salt to taste

Directions:
Beans/Salsa: Beans, beans they're good for your heart...heat beans in small pot on low/med heat. Stir in dash of cumin, chili powder, cayenne and sea salt. Stir in salsa for another moment or two, until everything is warm.

Guacamole: Mash avocado in bowl with fork. Squirt half lime into bowl adding fresh cilantro and continue to mash together.

Spread chips out onto dish and pour the beans and salsa onto them. Spoon guacamole over everything. Top with more fresh cilantro. Park your bum in front of the tube and ENJOY! (This is one of the VERY few times I'll actually condone eating while watching TV - HA!)

*Feel free to use this same recipe, but instead of pouring ingredients over chips, stuff into a whole wheat wrap with some brown rice for a healthy, filling burrito.


Benefits of Pinto Beans: Pinto beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other beans. Pinto beans' high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia. When combined with whole grains such as brown rice, pinto beans provide virtually fat-free, high quality protein. But this is far from all pinto beans have to offer. Pinto beans are also an excellent source of molybdenum, a very good source of folate and manganese, and a good source of protein and vitamin B1 as well as the minerals phosphorus, iron, magnesium, potassium, and copper. Pintos are a great replacement for red meats. A half cup of cooked pinto beans will provide about 120 calories and 10 grams of protein, without the saturated fat.

Benefits of Avocados: Avocados have gotten a bad rap because of their fat content. However, fat is a macronutrient much need by the body. Fat insulates the body, helps transport hormones and is a source of stored energy. Remember, it is the quality of fats that you take into your body that needs attention. Avocado is a quality source of monounsaturated fats which aids the absorption of its fat soluable vitamins E and K. It is important to note that avocados also contain B vitamins and Vitamin C and its potassium content is three times that of a banana!

Green Mountain Gringo Strips: I recommend serving with Green Mountain Gringo Tortilla Strips and/or salsa. Their chips are great tasting, all natural using non-GMO corn and gluten free. The salsa is all natural with little to no additives or preservatives. You can find them at any health food store, and at most supermarkets.



What does GMO mean? Genetically Modified Organism is the most common usage (though 'manipulated' or even 'mutated' might also be appropriate!) The acronyms GEO (Genetically Engineered Organism) or simply GM or GE are also used. Genetic engineering is a radical new technology that forces genetic information across the protective species barrier in an unnatural way. Why be concerned? One of many good reasons is that these laboratory-created mutations are unlabeled, virtually untested and on grocery shelves everywhere.

Please let me know how you enjoy, and may your favorite team win!