Cheezless Greek Salad

4 Small Cucumbers, sliced
4 Ripe Tomatoes, diced
1 Medium Onion, sliced into rings
1 Each Red, Yellow, Green Peppers, cut into ringlets from side profile
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 bunch arugula, roughly chopped
24 Black Kalamata Olives, chopped
Sea Salt
Oregano
Capers
Olive Oil

Layer all vegetables in serving bowl, starting with leaves on bottom, then peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, and so on.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with oregano, salt and capers. Serve Immediately.

**for added protein, top with cubed roasted chicken breast!

 

Submitted by Tammi Hoerner, CHHC

*Dairy is a common dietary allergen and a big reason why many struggle with digestion troubles and weight loss.

Fibromyalgia and Your Diet – Is There a Connection?

By Amy Martineau

If you have fibromyalgia, you are most likely looking for ways to ease the flare-ups of muscle pain and fatigue. One element that you might not have considered is your diet. Are there specific foods to avoid or add to your diet to decrease fibromyalgia symptoms? The answer isn’t black and white.

Research in this area is limited and mostly anecdotal from those with the disease. However, it may be something to consider. Those with fibromyalgia might be more sensitive to certain foods. In a survey published in Clinical Rheumatology, 42% of fibromyalgia patients reported that their symptoms increased after eating certain foods. The reaction to certain foods varies from person to person, so it is difficult to create a definitive list of foods to avoid.

One of the best ways to start to determine if a certain food is exacerbating your symptoms is to start a food journal. Simply write down everything you eat in a day and include how you feel after eating each meal. You may start to discover a pattern over time, such as, every time you eat dairy you find that you become fatigued, develop a headache or have indigestion. Once you start to see a pattern of consumption of a certain food and physical symptoms, you can then proceed to use an elimination diet to confirm your findings.

To use an elimination diet, pick one of the foods that you suspect you might be causing symptoms based on your food journal entries. Using dairy again as an example, you would completely stop eating all dairy products for six to eight weeks. Keep track of how you feel each day. After that time passes, try adding dairy back in. Do the symptoms start to reoccur? Did they never decrease in the first place? Once you complete this cycle with all the foods you believe are causing issues, you will be able to determine if a change in diet might be beneficial.

If you suspect you are having issues with certain foods, it is a good idea to bring these to the attention of your doctor. It’s possible you have an underlying condition such as a gluten allergy that might be causing unwanted symptoms. It may also be beneficial to get the advice of a health coach or holistic nutritionist when doing any type of elimination diet. You need to make sure you aren’t eliminating important nutrients from your diet. In other words, don’t make yourself feel worse while you are trying to make yourself feel better.

Sources:

Haugen, M. Clinical Rheumatology, December 1991.

Usher, J. (2012, January 9) Fibromyalgia and Diet. Will changing your diet help you cope with

fibromyalgia? Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/fibromyalgia/guide/fibromyalgia-the-diet-

connection.

Shining Brite Holiday Guide for Living Healthy Through the Holidays

Have the holidays hit you like a speeding Polar Express, only to leave you feeling exhausted, and with very little holiday spirit? You are not alone! All too often this time of year brings bags of financial distress, emotional outbursts, stress beyond what anyone should have to bear. Our societal ideals of holiday gifts, perfect dishes, and long holiday hours are enough to unravel the most well organized, financially stable, and healthy human being.

But Alas! We’ve brought you our top five healthy holiday survival tips to help you hold it together through the toughest weeks of the year!

1. Nourish your body – remember even in this time of juggling tons of schedules, late night shopping, and extreme food budget, a good salad or sauteed wilted greens with almonds will take your body a lot further than that burger – no matter how good it sounds in the moment, it will slow you more than move you. (plus, you’ll be still wearing the burger come January 1, 2012!)

2. Relax – The holidays are truly meant to be enjoyable, but how can you be fully present when you are carrying the stress of the entire season in that crick in your neck? Take time out to get a massage (it’s only an hour!) or a nice balancing Reiki session!

3. Count your blessings – a space of gratitude will take you a long way! Before you lumber out of bed in the morning, cursing the day away, lay there and allow yourself to become fully awake. In this few moments, call to mind all your blessings. This will allow you to start your day on the right foot!

4. Connect with your community – join a meetup group (try meetup.com), connect with old friends on facebook, or a group of coworkers in celebration of the wonderful gifts we each have in our lives! Knowing you have community makes a great difference when facing the holidays!

5. Slow Down – This time of year can be the most demanding time of the entire year past. If you allow yourself to get swept up, it will sweep it all away before you know it and all that was meant to be enjoyed will be gone. Take time out to spend with your family, children, friends, loved ones, coworkers, and quite time for you. Chew your food, listen to the music and take note of the beautiful clear crisp sky. Doing so can make the difference in how the entire holiday feels.

Finally, the most important step of all…. ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY!

With all the healthy holiday blessings you can imagine,

New Beginnings Health & Wellness Staff

http://www.newbeginningshealthwellness.com

LIVE 2012

Women’s Track to Healthy Hearts

Heart disease hits close to home for most. Did you know that 1 in 3 women suffer from heart disease and that it is still the Number 1 killer of women? In fact, according to this article in the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, one in four women die from heart disease. This is a frighteningly amazing amount of women, and a number that has inspired our founder to take action. 

We are seeking 5 Women who fit at least one of the following criteria:

1. Wants to reduce her risk for heart disease

2. Is 15 – 90 pounds over her ideal weight

3. Has high cholesterol or high blood pressure

4. Wants to live a vibrant and healthful life

This program is being introduced with the intention of helping 20 women to change their health from being at risk for heart disease to living a more healthful, reduced risk life in the year 2012. 

In order to reach out to this community and offer this program, Tammi has reduced her program to qualified LIVE 2012 participants by OVER 50%! 

If you or someone you know fits the above criteria and wants to be involved in this life and health transforming program, please contact us at newbeginningshw@gmail.com. Registrations must be received before December 31, 2011 to qualify for the first round of program participants. 

“Every day, nearly 2,600 Americans die of some type of cardiovascular disease, an average of one death every 34 seconds, and 7.1 million Americans have had a heart attack during their lifetimes.¹Those who survive often go on to have another heart attack later on. But this need not happen. Eating habits and other lifestyle factors play a large role in the risk of heart disease. Moreover, heart disease can usually be prevented and even reversed.” – PCRM.ORG

Is Junk Food Cheaper?

Source: tumblr.com via Courtney on Pinterest

Hot Cocoa

As a child, I remember always having homemade hot cocoa on cold snowy days. (thanks Mamma)
My mom used a blend of dried milk, nestles baking cocoa, and sugar.
I have created a modern version of this drink, quick to mix up and extremely enjoyable.

You’ll need:

1 Cup Rice Milk
1 Tbsp Ghiradelli Cocoa
1 tsp Raw Agave Nectar

1 Cup Rice Milk, bring to a low boil in a sauce pan.

Pour this into your favorite mug. Add 1 tablespoon Ghiradelli Cocoa and 1 tsp raw agave nectar.
Stir and enjoy….
Living healthfully doesn’t mean you have to do without!

Have a warm evening,
Tammi

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The Aftermath

Sugar….sugar…sugar. It is taking over the minds, and now bodies, of women, men, and children every where.

Well, it is that season. It starts with Halloween. (honestly, about three or four weeks before with stocking up on bags of candy that you end up needing to buy more of anyway, doesn’t it?) It starts with one candy bar. The snack sized one. Then, just one more. Then, perhaps, you feel you just want to help get rid of them being in the house. Once they are out of the house, you tell yourself, wont eat them any more.

Yet, that’s not what happens is it? Next, you are asking for soda instead of water. Then you are stopping in the candy isle at the store to refresh your diminished home or desk supply. Heck, why not both? Soon, you’ve added five pounds, feel bloated and uncomfortable. Your sleep changes, your digestion changes, and you have completely fallen off of that latest diet you started just a month ago. You feel terrible, and out of control. 

Familiar story? It’s familiar to me as well, this is the time of year I hear the most frustration around lack of control with sugar. I experienced it personally and know how completely you can lose control.

Just a few short years ago I learned about how incredibly addictive sugar is. Once I became conscious of it, I started putting controls into place to stop myself from losing that control. However, it does take practice and discipline to get there.

Here are a few steps to put into place to reduce sugar cravings and get back on track.

1. Drink plenty of water. I always recommend 1/2 your body weight in ounces. To make this easy, carry a water bottle with you every where you go.

2. Get plenty of rest. When you stop eating sugar, you are going to crave it. You may experience headaches, body aches, stomach cramps, diarrhea, among other side effects of detox. Rest will help your body cope through the transition.

3. Eliminate all sources of sugar. From candy to fruit juice. Stop. All of it.

4. Stay present. Sometimes a craving for sugar actually comes from an emotional imbalance, such as anxiety, depression, fear, or sadness. Trying to stay as focused on what is happening right this minute and not what happened or might happen may alleviate your craving.

5. Move your body. Exercise will help your body to flush the sugar out, get the blood flowing, reduce tension, improve your immunity.

There are many ways to get over the strong cravings for sugar, but these are some of my own favorites. The biggest thing I can suggest above all of these is practice forgiveness with yourself. What is done is done, you can only change what you do from here forward. Let go of the past, stay present, listen to and honor your body.

 

Healthy Pumpkin Rice Pudding

4 Cups Coconut Milk
16 ounces Pumpkin Puree
1 Cup Brown Rice, cooked as directed
1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp each ground ginger, sea salt
2 Organic Cage Free eggs
1/2 tsp Real Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to 375.

In a large saucepan, bring to a boil the milk, pumpkin, rice, syrup, and spices, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat to simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat.

Beat eggs and vanilla in a large bowl. Slowly stir in hot pumpkin mix. Mix together very well and pour into a greased 2 quart casserole dish.

Bake for 45 – 50 minutes or until set. Serve warm.

 

Serves up to 14. Makes a great breakfast dish!

Have a Healthy Halloween

From chocolates and caramels to bubble gum and suckers, the ghoulish sugary snacks are everywhere! It seems from the first of October until the holidays are passed, we are surrounded by these treats.

Even the most prepared health guru can be sabotaged during the hectic holidays! Our very own Seasoned Mom Health Coach, Tammi Hoerner, offers some simple tools to make the holiday challenges a tad bit easier.

Say BOOto the cravings, bingeing, and over-stuffing for you and your tykes!

Healthy Halloweens Start At Home

1. Hydrate – A well hydrated body is like putting on a sugar deterring Bat-Cape – giving you super hero powers to resist the urge to munch. Even awareness around ensuring your children are hydrated is incredibly important. A good rule of thumb is 1/2 your body weight in ounces.

2. Lay a Solid Foundation – For your sake as well as for the children, eat a healthful meal filled with nourishing veggies before you set foot near any event or venture out to Trick-or-Treat.

3. Explain Moderation – and then practice what you preach. One of the biggest rules in moving forward to live a more healthful life involves creating a rule of 80/20 or 90/10 – and a large portion of self forgiveness. It really is okay to indulge from time to time. It’s knowing when and how to stop that is important.

4. Opt for home made healthier versions – instead of store bought processed junk food – there are recipes widely available on the internet for healthier versions of our favorite treats. I suggest following The Nourished Life or following us on Facebook.

5. Breathe – Stress is a common reason many reach for munchies. And, I know this will surprise you, the holidays ARE STRESSFUL! Taking on a practice of meditation, self care, and simply taking a break to breathe will ease the stress, often enough to avoid bingeing on terrible for you food-like substances.

Now that you have your super hero Seasoned Mom tools for a Healthy Halloween, sit back, and take the time to enjoy the feast, beautiful fall season, and – most importantly – YOUR KIDDOS!