How many #fruits and #vegetables do you consume #daily?

What grade do you give your family for eating the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables daily? Would you say that you eat 7-13 servings every day, or ... every week?!? I'd think half would say every week and even some I could go as far as saying over the course of a month! I'd say for me on good days, I eat between 5-7 servings. That's good I believe but I still fall short of what I should eat but I also eat a product that offers whole food nutrition in a capsule or gummy that bridges the gap. Check out this article on food politics.

Subscribe to my blog here to never miss a post. 
Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Subscribe here to receive my monthly newsletters for free.

Choose, eat, and live well! =)

Healthy Food Substitutions & Healthy Skin

As a busy mom, I used to thoroughly enjoy the Kraft Foods "Food & Family" magazine but not so much anymore mainly because the ingredients they promote almost always have HFCS. Some of the recipes are still good but substitutions are required. 

I have an upcoming wellness talk on "Beauty Becomes You" and will be serving healthy refreshments. I found a recipe in the magazine titled, "Mediterranean Stacker" and it looks pretty good; however, I will be using Back to Nature crackers and nitrate-free chicken breast. The other ingredients are hummus and cucumbers. For meat-free stackers, I'll add shredded carrots. 

Hummus is a healthy food and very tasty! It actually made two recent lists on what foods your [kids] should eat and what foods are best for healthy skin and they are as follows.  Happy Eating!!

‎5 Foods Everyone Should Be Eating by Joy Bauer, Nutritionist of the TODAY show:

1) Seafood - cold water fatty fish (ex. Salmon), 2) Beans (try Hummus), 3) Oats (use instead of bread crumbs), 4) Eggs and 5) Spinach.

6 Best Foods for Healthy Skin By David Zinczenko of Men’s Health, Aug 16, 2010.

1)      Salmon (Omega 3s). Why? “[They] are the essential fats that, along with bolstering the cognitive powers of your brain, concentrate in the walls of your epidermal cells to help lock in moisture.”  Other Omega 3s: Sardines, Walnuts and Flax Seed.

2). Carrots. Why? You’re inviting beta carotene “to nestle into your skin, fill in blotches, and give you a healthy glow." Other beta-carotene foods: red bell pepper, sweet potato, and red grapefruit.

3). Avocado. Why? They have […] B vitamins, which also help to keep your skin looking vibrant and smooth. Other natural B vitamins found in: olive oil, almonds, and peanut butter.

4). Beans. Why? They have “isoflavones—potent antioxidants—concentrated in the beans resulting in 20% fewer wrinkles over time (paraphrased, Zinczenko). Other isoflavone potent foods: tofu, alfalfa, and tempeh.

5). Grapes. Why? They have antioxidants called “polyphenols […] keeps middle-aged skin from sagging. That’s because polyphenols improve skin’s elasticity by strengthening collagen, the primary protein in skin’s innermost layer." Other polyphenol enriched foods: grape juice, blueberries.

6). Water. Why? “Water is the strongest weapon you have against lifeless skin; all the body’s processes rely on hydration, and it creates a measurable increase in the capillary blood flow to your body’s outer layer.” Other water rich foods: Watermelon, peaches and celery.

Choose, eat, and live well! =)

Family

This post is a tribute to my grandparents. May they rest in peace. Both passed this month and although I'm sad to not have them here anymore, I am happy that they are together again. My pops passed on the 7th and my grams passed away today, the 19th. They lived a full life. They were married 59 years this past June and left behind 4 children and 9 grandkids and 2 great grandkids. My son being one of the great grands met them last month for the first time. What a blessing! I have such fond memories of my grandparents.

Family is important. Spend time with your family and if you cannot because you live out of the state/country then call them, email them, send them a 'just because' card. Do something to show them you care and do it often! Time waits for no one. Be well.

Chicken, Tomato, Mushroom Pasta #Recipe

A quick dinner recipe using tomatoes, mushrooms, onions and chicken. I think you'll enjoy it! 

Ingredients: 
Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Pasta Blend, Rotini

Grass-fed, Hormone and Antibiotic Free Chicken Tenders

Organic Diced Tomatoes (Canned or make your own) 
Panko plain bread crumbs seasoned with various Italian spices

Parmesan Cheese

Mushrooms

Medium Yellow Onion

Rosemary

EVOO

Egg

Directions: 
Combine bread crumbs, your choice of seasonings and parmesan cheese. Dip chicken in egg lightly beaten and then into heated frying pan with EVOO. Cook 5 minutes on each side or until no longer pink. Boil water for pasta (or use rice, quinoa, etc in place of pasta). In separate frying pan, add EVOO, onion, mushrooms and tomatoes. Sprinkle dried rosemary and heat until thickened.

Drain pasta, add chicken and cover with sauce.

Buon Appetito!!

I do receive a small commission from Amazon.com if you purchase anything through their site using one of the links above (read my full advertising disclosure here). 


Thank you very much for your generosity in helping to offset the costs of website upkeep, so that I can keep sharing wellness resources with my community and beyond.

Subscribe to my blog here to never miss a post. 
Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Download my free eGuide when you subscribe to receive my monthly newsletters for free.

Choose, eat, and live well! =)

Extended #Breastfeeding

This is late but I while I was on the East Coast I received comments and looks while I nursed my toddler son in public. Nothing was rude just curious. Some asked why I still do it after 12 months. One said her pediatrician told her she could stop at the year mark. I'm guessing most think there is no more benefit to the mother or the child after twelve months. I'm thankful that I live in California (being that there are many attachment parents here, holistic families, natural ways of living) and there are plenty of resources and people who say shoot for 12 months minimum and stop when you and the child want after that. 

My recommendation: Link arms with like minded families so that you don't feel alone in your decision to nurse past a certain time. 

I'm enjoying the ability to nurse my son because I understand the health benefits for both of us. Breast cancer runs in my family and I know extended nursing helps decrease the risk that I will develop it. I also know that my son will have less ear infections, will get sick less, will fight many infections, will reduce childhood obesity because of the antibodies found in the milk - yes... even now. My son will be 23 months old in a week or so. We are happy. He is "easy like Sunday morning" most of the time. His cool, calm and collected personality I trace back primarily to his dad but also to the amount of bonding we have done because of the breast feeding relationship. I have no idea when we'll stop. I've always said that I'll let him decide. I'm sticking with that for now. 

Breastfeeding comes in handy on the days he doesn't want to eat much other than drink cow's milk. At least I know that he's getting more nutrients through my milk because I eat healthy. I hope that this post will offer you some encouragement as you make the decision to breast feed or not and how long you will nurse. I applaud you for trying. I am happy for your little one if all you decided to do was offer your baby the colostrum that comes right after you deliver your bundle of joy. That's liquid gold. Lastly, don't let someone else help you make the decision to no longer nurse. There are many families that aren't supportive... I can say that I didn't have 100% support from many people around me but I knew in my heart it was the best thing for my son. 

Edit: After I posted this I logged into Facebook and saw a dear friend post a thread about World Breastfeeding Week - Virtual Celebration. Belly Laughs Doula & Baby Services owner, Maggie Jennings, wrote the following: "Breastfeeding gives babies all the nutrients for the best physical & mental development. The AAP recommends babies be exclusively breastfed for 6 months, then continue (w/food) for 12 months minimum whereas the WHO recommends babies 2 years minimum! Both organizations say breastfeeding should continue for as long as mom & baby want."

If you want to see what else Maggie is talking about visit her Facebook fan page or her personal website.

Subscribe to my blog here to never miss a post. 

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Subscribe here to receive my monthly newsletters for free.

Choose, eat, and live well! =)

Celebrating 40 Years - #EarthDay, Part II

This post is dedicated to a new friend and partner in a like-minded business: cherishing and preserving one's health - Leslie Kirchmeier with Hallelujah Acres in Fallbrook, CA. I found her while reading the newspaper, "Good News, etc". She has a health column. Eight months ago I asked to be added to her email distribution list for her culinary classes. She offers evening and morning classes, weekend and 5 and 10 day retreats. She is a Certified Raw Food Chef.  I've been wanting to attend one of her evening classes since last October and just this week I attended one. We made Rawvioli, Ceasar Salad and Coconut Cream Pie. All vegan foods! Wow! My palette was amazed - taste buds were soaring heights they've never soared before. 

I am relatively new to the Vegan approach. I went to my first Raw Foods Meetup in February and was hooked ever since. I'm not a Vegan. I am actually considering the Flexitarian Lifestyle - a term coined by Michael Pollan, where I eat meat dishes from time to time and I'm considering only fish. 

Back to Leslie though. So I asked her in March if she would want to serve as one of my guest speakers for an Earth Day inspired wellness talk. I asked her if she could demonstrate a Vegan dish and she chose Spaghetti with Marinara. At the talk, she addressed the importance of eating whole, living foods. 

I asked her to return for my wellness talk this month focusing on Pregnancy Health. I asked her if she could share some baby food preparation recipes and give the new moms some viable options of what nutritious foods to eat that are easy to prepare, serve and eat. 

Leslie's personal testimony:

Ten years ago I was diagnosed with cancer, and after enduring traditional medical treatments I was given 1-5 years to live.  It was at that time I changed my diet and lifestyle to a plant based diet and healed my body from cancer.  I have been passionate about teaching the good news of health for the past eight years and was the owner of a Lifestyle Center in Fallbrook where we taught people hands-on how to heal themselves.  I am very concerned for the upcoming generations being raised on processed, chemical laden food and look forward to sharing my knowledge with others.  ~ Leslie Kirchmeier, Health Minister 

Items used in the demonstration:

Vitamix 5200

Spiral Slicer

I do receive a small commission from Amazon.com if you purchase anything through their site using one of the links above (read my full advertising disclosure here). 


Thank you very much for your generosity in helping to offset the costs of website upkeep, so that I can keep sharing wellness resources with my community and beyond.

Subscribe to my blog here to never miss a post. 
Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Subscribe here to receive my monthly newsletters for free.

Choose, eat, and live well! =)

Celebrating 40 Years - #EarthDay, Part I

For my health and wellness home business, I held an Earth Day inspired talk on April 22nd titled: "Taking It Back to Nature" - ('It' was for "Health & Wellness"). 

The event was sponsored by my business and I discussed the importance of eating whole foods. I also provided a sample of a whole food supplement that I wholeheartedly endorse and am proud to represent. 

I prepared tri-fold flyers for all the guests addressing 40 years of celebrating Earth Day and how we can reduce our carbon footprint along with other helpful links on avoiding plastics,"green" toys, where to find a CSA, 'eating right', among many others. 

For Part I of this posting series, I am going to share with you some verbiage (borrowed, permission granted) from my first guest speaker, Jan Tucker, owner and president of White Lotus Living:

"Yes, I am looking to educate people, but also to offer safe products (not containing harmful chemicals) to get more people in the habit of using only the safe ones. If people stop buying from companies that use harmful chemicals, manufacturers will be forced to get on board and produce only safe products (another major theme of a presentation I give).

Before I started White Lotus Living, I noticed there were many places I could go to get info about the topic of harmful chemicals. However, when I went to do something about it ... namely to replace the products in my home with safer ones, there was a real lack of info to help me do that practically. I started White Lotus as a one-stop-shop where people could come and feel safe about what they buy from my shelves. It's a practical solution for busy people who can't take the time to scour the landscape for safe products themselves.

There are a number of manufacturers whose policies won't let them produce products that rank higher than 2 or 3 out of 10 on the Cosmetics Safety Database (lower ratings are better) ... it may be strict, but those are the only ones available at [my online store]. I'd prefer not to contribute to a company that isn't being conscientious toward this important cause. Again, it emphasizes the fact that manufacturers will go where the money is ... if we buy only safe, they'll make only safe!"

She put on a nice presentation that discussed how many chemicals (ingredients) the FDA has banned in the U.S. --- 10, and that our philosophy here is "we must prove that the ingredient is Harmful, before we can remove it". Whereas in the EU, over 1800 ingredients have been banned because their philosophy is the direct opposite of ours: "we must first prove that the ingredient is Safe". Ridiculous isn't it?

Above, Jan said something that has stuck with me and that is she will not purchase any product that scores higher than a 2 on the Cosmetic Database. She said some product brands like Burt's Bees (just an example of the many out there) where many of their products are a 2 or less but they also manufacture other products that score a lot higher. She said she will not "support" businesses who aren't consistent across the board. Why create a few products that are "natural" but yet offer different ones that are harmful to the skin? She has strict protocols in place to pick the "cream of the crop" and real, natural skin / personal care products for her business with White Lotus Living. There are some personal items that she's researching to replace what she is using currently, like shaving gel.

Her website was unveiled at this wellness talk. Support a female-owned business and help teach these "natural" manufacturers a lesson by spending dollars with businesses that are truly organic, or natural, or in her words, beyond green!

In my part II of celebrating Earth Day - 40 years, I will cover my second guest speaker, Leslie Kirchmeier. 

Subscribe to my blog here to never miss a post. 

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Subscribe here to receive my monthly newsletters for free.

Choose, eat, and live well! =)

Beginnings in #Nutrition #Awareness

Over a year ago, I became interested in eating well in order to live well. Over the last twelve months, I have gone from just being aware of bad food choices to actually making healthy food choices and then educating others on how to do the same. I'm plugged into a supportive network through the Dr. Sears Family and that's what has really opened my eyes to a lot out there but, I want to take it a step further and actually help people in their journeys that are right here in my community. 

What did it take in your wellness journey to transform you? 

Dairy Farm Tour - DeJong's, Wildomar, CA

I attended a tour at De Jong’s (pronounced de young’s) Dairy Farm in Wildomar, Riverside County, California. They are the only true dairy farm in the area. What I mean by “true” is that they milk the cows there, bottled the milk and sell it from their property. They do not have the organic label on their products due to the expense behind the label but I believe they are as close as you can get without the fancy label. 

They have large 2 pens that keep 36 cows at a time. The big dairies have 150 cows or more in each pen. They feed the cows hay and grains twice a day and in the cooler months of the year provide fresh water twice a day. In the hotter months, they are provided water three times a day. Any cow that is sick and on antibiotics is removed from being milked until they’re 100% well - about 8 days. They milk the cows twice a week – Mondays and Thursdays (and twice a day). Each day yields between 1500 and 2000 containers of milk. They said that their water bill each month is $8,800!  

The company has been in business since the early 60s. They are a family owned business and do not have a website but I found an article about their business through a local newspaper and you can learn more facts about this place. 

Their cows life span is on average 9 years. One cow they had was 15. She gave them 13 babies. The cows must be pregnant every year to keep up the milk supply. The owners have not bought a cow in 30 years!

If you are ever in the area, it’s worth visiting. They only offer tours in the cooler months of the year because as you can imagine when the heat comes the smells … well you get the picture. They are open 7-days a week, 12 hours from 8a to 8p. They are open every day of the year - there are no holidays off.  Call ahead for their hours before visiting. 

Their whole fat milk also comes in chocolate. They don’t use Hershey syrup but rather real cocoa. They take the fat from the cow’s milk and add it to the chocolate milk so you can imagine how yummy it is and should be drank in moderation, of course. They also sell 2% milk in chocolate.

Have you ever been? Please leave a comment and share your experience.  

St Patrick's Day - Green #Smoothie #recipe

Did you know that smoothies are a great way to get more of the fruits and veggies we are missing in our diets each day? I LOVE smoothies and this is a sure way to get young, picky toddlers to consume more veggies! 

On behalf of Dr. Mitra Ray, I have posted her green smoothie recipe. It is simply amazing. You can find it and many more free resources on her site.

Makes 1 Serving
3 large kale leaves, chopped
2 bananas-very ripe, frozen or fresh
1 fleshy fruit, chopped (apricot, peach, mango, etc), frozen or fresh
1/4c flax seeds
1 tsp milk thistle

Add enough filtered water to make it as liquid as you like.  Put flax and milk thistle in Vitamix. Blend until powder-like. Add one cup of water and continue blending. Add fruits and vegetables, and then slowly add additional water while blending. Blend until liquefied or until smoothie has reached desired consistency.

While you're out and about on St. Patty's Day, whether you're going to bring in / take-out the day with some green beverages of your choice, let's also do like the Irish and be kind to folks as you go throughout your day. Manners go a long way. Especially in the world we live in that has become obsessively selfish. Stand out from the norm and brighten someone's day. 

I do receive a small commission from Amazon.com if you purchase anything through their site using one of the links above (read my full advertising disclosure here). 


Thank you very much for your generosity in helping to offset the costs of website upkeep, so that I can keep sharing wellness resources with my community and beyond.

Subscribe to my blog here to never miss a post. 
Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Subscribe here to receive my monthly newsletters for free.

Choose, eat, and live well! =)

Vegan Tacos

Resources:

Books:

Living on Live Food – Alissa Cohen

Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen – Ani Phyo

Raw Food Real World – Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis

Websites:

Alissa Cohen

Sharing raw, vegan recipes and advice

WALNUT TACO “MEAT”:

1 cup Raw Walnuts, soaked in water for at least two hours

½ cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes, soaked 30 minutes (save soak water)

¼ cup Yellow Onion, finely chopped

3 tsp. Cumin

1 tsp. Chili Powder

1 clove Garlic, minced

¼ Sun-Dried Tomato water

½ tsp. Herbamere

Preparation:

Combine ingredients in food processor until mixed well.  (For a less moist texture, put in dehydrator for 1 hour.)

SOUR “CREAM”:

1 cup Raw Macadamia Nuts

Juice of 1 Lemon

1 clove Garlic, minced

¼ tsp. Sea Salt

½ cup water (enough to make creamy)

Preparation:

Blend all ingredients in blender. (Adjust ingredients to your taste.)

Choose, eat, and live well! =)

Support your #farmersmarkets - Local Harvest

What's in Season? Before visiting your local grocery store chain or farmer's market, go here first "What's in Season?". Knowing what's in season is best for your health and your pocket. Picking, purchasing and eating Fruits & Veggies out of season, well the taste isn't as fresh and the cost is higher than usual. 

Getting fruits and vegetables from your local farmer's market is a good way to ensure freshness plus you'll be supporting your local farmers - it's a win-win situation! You're even encouraged to participate in a CSA - Community Supported Agriculture program in which you pay for local and sometimes (depends on the farmer) organic foods. You can find out if there is a participating farmer near you at U.S. Local Harvest. 

Last month, I had the privilege of attending a Raw Foods meetup (Vegan). These kind of foods have more flavor for your taste buds then the food you eat on a regular basis - in my opinion and I'm not a vegan! In my next post, I'll share two of the raw food recipes that I enjoyed. 

Subscribe to my blog here to never miss a post. 
Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Download my free eGuide when you subscribe to my monthly newsletters for free.

Choose, eat, and live well! =)

Introduction to my blog: Importance of Education

Welcome to my blog. 

I am a WAHM and am married to a kind and loving man. We have one toddler son. As noted in "Interests" under Blogger Profile, education is a huge part of my being. I thrive on learning new things. Right now in this stage of my life, I am learning about nutrition and overall wellness - body, mind, spirit and everything in between.

Prior to getting to this juncture, it took me seven years to earn my Bachelor's Degree as I was a full-time working professional. I attended UMUC in Naples, Italy and I majored in Management with a minor in Human Resources and earned Honors. I initially started my higher education at a community college in Maryland and co-founded and ran an organization designed for the Women on Campus and also succeeded at co-running a Marketing Campaign. During that year, I was selected for the “Who's Who of Junior Colleges.” In the traditional work settings throughout the last ten years, I have been awarded multiple recognition rewards on excellence and “setting the bar high.”

I am a leader by nature but I know all good leaders start at the bottom, working their way up, building bridges and maintaining meaningful relationships. Max Lucado said it best: "The first step to leadership is servanthood." I believe that wholeheartedly. I love to serve and have done so by volunteering in local communities and I have been an active member or officer of several organizations.

This brings me to the reason of starting this blog. I am educating people about eating better and living healthier. I am learning along the way about unsafe chemicals and toxins found not only in our foods, but in the products we use on our bodies and in our homes. I am not a green mom by any means but who knows... I may be headed in that direction. I want to teach you about how to identify and then remove the ingredients that contributes to rampant illnesses in our nation but first and foremost, fully understanding what is making our nation sick and building up toxicity in our bodies later forming diseases like diabetes, cancers, high blood pressure, etc.

I want to share all that I have learned with you.

Are you open?

Subscribe to my blog here to never miss a post. 
Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Download my free eGuide when you subscribe to my monthly newsletters for free.

Choose, eat, and live well! =)