I can’t stress enough the importance of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Use your culinary creativity to add these disease fighting edibles to every meal.

For breakfast, why not try an egg scramble with some sauteed zucchini, onion and fresh Roma tomatoes.

And don’t forget to shop local, organic, and in season whenever possible. This will insure you’re bringing the most fresh and nutrient dense produce to your table!

As you can probably assume by my lack of posts it has been a busy few weeks. I held my first Nutrition class, my business is continuing to grow, and the Vegan Challenge is drawing to a close, oh and The All-Star and I found a “secret” beach that we’re really excited about, it’s not really secret, but we’re pretending that it is.

I’ll catch you up a little bit on the Vegan challenge. Today is Day 24. No bail-outs or break-downs. We may or may not have consumed hidden ingredients.  Unless a food is labeled vegan, you really can’t be sure.  But we’ve done our best to avoid animals products at all costs and now over the half-way hump, I’m proud to say that I’m not missing much. It is doubtful that I will put this much effort into avoidance come July 1st but the continued effort to put high quality and nutritious foods in my body will continue! I’m really looking forward to my usual left-over lunches, which we haven’t had much of during this challenge, making grab-on-the-go a necessity at times. I found a very tasty Trader Joe’s wrap labeled vegan. Unfortunately it contains a little more salt than I’m used to. How do I know this? Not by reading the label. I know this by understanding my body and how it reacts to what it would rather do without.

This was a major message in my class last Wednesday – understanding our bodies and understanding our diets.  By recognizing simple changes in the way you feel, you gain insight into how to modify your diet effectively to one that is health promoting.

Here’s a little exercise I’d like you to try. Take a week, just seven days, and cut out all processed foods. Make everything from scratch, even your dressing, and use salt minimally. No more chips, or cookies, or canned soup or crackers. No frozen dishes, cured meats or boxed cereals. Let it all be fresh and whole. If you’re motivated, write down how you feel after each meal and at the end of each day. On day 8, eat something typical of your usual diet. This will give you a quick insight into how foods affect you. If when you reintroduce a food back to your diet, you feel crappy, it’s probably not good for you. If you feel fine, munch away.Of course this is just a little test, but you should notice a change. I takes a bit more work, but once you form that relationship with your body and how it reacts to food, you can gain back control over your diet and your health and feel confident that you’re on a path towards wellness!

Still going strong with the Vegan Challenge. We’ve been eating lots of beans and vegetables. My anti-oxidant levels should be through the roof. I feel good. No need for meat yet, though The All-Star explained to me this morning that eating meat makes him happy. I do believe that happiness is an important part of wellness, so we’ll let him have his hamburger on Day 31.

We finally took a trip to the Long Beach South East Farmer’s Market last Sunday. For $25 we scored a bunch of really delicious organic and locally grown fruits and vegetables. I bought some really inexpensive swiss chard that we still have plenty of. The strawberries were incredible, though must be eaten quickly as they are not long lasting.

Here’s a few pics of our awesome finds!

Amazing smelling basil – which I didn’t but buy will this Sunday- I sense vegan pesto on the menu for Monday!

The All-Star loves his cauliflower!

Crazy hybrid potatoes. The farmer said, “I’m the only one who’s got em.”  Lol, crazy farmer.

Nothing beats an Orange County strawberry!

Baby bok choy, the last of it for this season – already starting to bloom?

The full bounty

Twice as much organic Swiss chard for half the store price!

Lots of delicious veggie dishes this week, and one big baking success. I made another really awesome ragout. It was super fast and easy to make. It was just a large can of diced tomatoes, onion, sherry and assorted dried herbs. So simple and so good. I also added some chard ribs which I worried would make it bitter but did no such thing. I’m really excited about this ragout. The best part is that it doesn’t take hours to simmer like my Sunday Sauce does. I wish I had some pictures for you. You’ll just have to create your own visual.

More zucchini from the Hernandez garden was turned into a fabulous zucchini bread creation.  I found the recipe on Hell Yeah it’s Vegan and tailored it to fit the diets of everyone at the office. Bob’s Redmill Organic Rice Flour to make it gluten-free and Ener-G Egg Replacer for those of us challenging to be vegan. There’s also a very similar carrot cake recipe that I’m dying to try. I just have to figure out how to make the icing. I’m leaning towards coconut cream.

The recipe on the website calls for vegan cream cheese which is soy based. Most vegans use a lot soy. Soy milk, vegan cream cheese, tofu are common replacements for their non-vegan counterparts. We’ve been using organic soy milk in our morning coffee but I’m starting to think this isn’t a good route for the Cultivate Your Wellness household. We’ve both had an headache for a few days and neither of us ever get headaches. My digestive system is definitely off, and he’s felt bloated since Sunday. I’m blaming our symptoms on a possible sensitivity to soy. Once the carton is done, we’ll switch to rice milk and see how we feel.

Food sensitivities seem to be on the rise in this county. I blame processed foods and poor diets but regardless of where you place the blame, modifying your diet is necessary so as to not reap preventable havoc on your health. If you have unexplained symptoms you may want to consider food sensitivities to be the culprit.  Trying an Allergy Avoidance Diet can give you insight into what types of foods you make need to omit. Gluten is a big one, as is soy. But it could be dairy, or corn, or even yeast. The only way to know for sure is to remove a food from your diet and monitor your symptoms. For more information on food sensitivities visit the World’s Healthiest Foods website.

I received a text message yesterday which read, “Can I eat Pringles?” To which I replied, “Read the label.”

One of the most important aspects of the vegan challenge and any change in diet is understanding what is in the food that we eat and reading labels is the first place to start. It’s easy to avoid milk if it’s sitting in a glass right in front of you. But what about when it’s hidden in something processed?

Most processed foods have ingredients that you wouldn’t expect to be in them. I just learned that Red Vines (a type of licorice candy) contain wheat gluten. Fortunately for The All-Star they contain no animal products, but there are plenty of foods that he would like to eat that do. Below is a list of ingredients you may not know are not vegan. For a more detailed list visit HappyCow.net

• Casein – a milk protein, found in non-dairy creamers and some soy cheeses
• Gelatin – protein obtained by boiling the skin, tendons, ligaments, and/or bones of cows and pigs, found like lots of candies, cakes and puddings
• Rennet – an enzyme from calves’ stomachs
• Whey – a serum from milk, often found in baked goods

I am once again neglecting my writing. But outside the world of blogging, etc, I’ve been a busy bee.  There are just aren’t enough hours in a day to do it all, especially since I’m still not getting up two hours before I have to leave the house.  Fortunately this is all about to change..and for two reasons. The first…I love to share my thoughts and wisdom, no matter how many people actually sit down to read it. And the second…There’s going to be another challenge. Hooray! Luckily no amount of bone breaking can put a stop to this one. The challenge I speak of? Drum roll please. A thirty day vegan diet. Clap, clap, clap!!!

It all started last weekend when I attended “Vital Signs,” a continuing education event hosted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine where several innovative and inspiring physicians, including Dean Ornish, MD, John McDougall, MD and Neal Barnard, MD,  spoke to us about the benefits of a plant based diet. Their research is compelling and their claims are pretty undeniable. Will I be converting to vegan now? Not necessarily. At least not yet. Let’s get through the challenge first and then we’ll see. Either way I’m happy and able to continue my nutrition education. And who better than myself to test it out on.

The best part, though, is I won’t be alone. Several patients and practitioners at The Healing Sanctuary have agreed to accept the challenge. It’s very exciting and I’m looking forward to the outcomes. Tomorrow I’m meeting with Pamela Jacobson, successful acupuncturist and owner of The Healing Sanctuary, to discuss the guidelines for the challenge. We’ll be posting regularly on both our websites and encouraging those involved to post as well. June 1st is our anticipated start date. We’ll be spending the next month and a half making sure that we’ve got all our bases covered.  We’ve even got the All-Star on board. I don’t believe every part of this challenge will be easy, but I do expect it to be fun, and best of all – HEALTHY!

And to all you vegan readers out there, your suggestions and support are greatly welcomed and appreciated.

SO…although the challenge has not officially kicked off, tonight’s dinner fits the bill.

Trader Joe’s 17 Bean and Barley Mix. Made with carrots, onions and vegetable broth. Not much bad you can say about that. Stay tuned for challenge guidelines and, as always, trail markers for a path to wellness.

I found this website that I really like: EatingWell.com. 

I think Eating Well started as a magazine but who needs paper when you’ve got all their delicious recipes and diet help right at your web-browsing fingertips.  I especially like their Diet, Nutrition and Health section where you can find descent information about food and your health as well as special recipes for those with specific diet needs, ie. gluten free, diabetes, low calorie, etc.  They also include nutritional facts, which is always good.  I’m certainly not saying this is the end all website of healthy cooking but like I say, “when in doubt, go home-made” and this is another great resource for adding healthy choices to your personal recipe collection. 

As always, use your discretion and make healthy diet choices that are best for you.  When in doubt, follow the advice of your doctor.

Wait, what?  First Fats Do Not Make You Fat and now this.  Take it easy, I’ll explain.

Over the past 5 years I have made an honest effort to integrate more exercise and healthy eating habits into my health regime.  Lean meats, lots of veggies, healthy fats.  The transition didn’t happen over night but I can now proudly say that I lead a pretty healthy lifestyle.  The benefits of this lifestyle are totally worth the added efforts…lots of energy, a stronger immune system and of course, a maintainable healthy weight where I both look AND feel good.  So I’m healthy now, the work is done and I can eat bacon cheese burgers again, right?   Wrong.  Well, mostly wrong.  The truth is that regardless of weight, and how healthy a diet is, and all that exercise, saturated fats like those in a bacon cheese burger are no body’s friend, and they WILL have a negative effect on the body, regardless of how fit I think I am.  Sure a dietary splurge every once in a while isn’t going to set me back months, but believing that’s it’s okay to eat unhealthy because I am overall healthy is in itself, well…unhealthy, and could lead me down a dangerous path.

Have you ever met a thin person with high cholesterol, or diabetes?  You think, this person looks healthy, why are they struggling with this problem?  For many, adopting an “everything in moderation” or “I’m skinny so I can eat anything attitude” is more dangerous than you think.  It’s like my guys with the high metabolisms who figure they can eat all the fast-food they want because they aren’t “fat” yet.   Well, just because your body isn’t storing the fat visibly doesn’t mean your arteries are in the clear as well.  No pun intended.  And even though counting calories and watching carbs may keep you thin, it’s still more about the quality of the food that you put into your body that determines your health destiny.  I’m not saying one cheese burger now and again is going to send you to the ER, but you better be aware that just because you look healthy, doesn’t mean you are.  So the dangers I speak of are really the reasoning and bargaining that often go on before we eat something less than optimal.  Those who are dieting may be less likely to have this conversation with themselves.  They may come to the conclusion that a high-fat meal will negatively effect their weight goals and opt for a salad instead.  My concern is that those of us who are not as worried about our weight may not think to be as mindful of our health as well.

Eating foods high in saturated fats raise cholesterol levels and clog arteries.  Bottom line.  Studies are continuously being conducted to determine whether or not exercise can reverse the immediate effects but the results are still questionable.   Your best bet is to stay away from the bad-for-you-foods and save them for a very rainy day.

For more information about saturated fats and your daily limit, visit the American Heart Associate website.

I added distance to my run this morning!   I still ran to the beach and back but took a few extra turns.  It was such a warm sunny morning and my cold was kind enough not to put a damper on my Challenge progress.  I was a little worried last night.  I’m not sure how to handle the rules if I can’t get out of bed.  Fortunately, I’m thinking I’ve got a handle on this pesky cold and should continue without a missed beat.  It is my assumption that my body is just clearing out some of the toxins accumulated during my visit to NY and travel and all that.  I’m owing the release of said toxins to the exercise I’ve been doing.  Makes sense right? That could be the reason why I actually feel my best while doing the exercise.  So another successful day and now I’m free to do as I please for the rest of this beautiful Saturday.

We’re actually going to start getting ready and find a bar that’s playing the Jet game.  Playoffs!  After that it’s off to Big Bear for a party in a cabin and snowboarding tomorrow.  Very exciting.  So no run tomorrow, unless I feel like taking on that cool mountain air.  But I think taking on the mountain will be exercise enough!

For my pre-run fuel I continued with the protein shake I’ve been drinking.  The shake I drink is Juice Plus Complete.  I like this  product.  It’s a non-dairy, gluten free, whole food based powder full of phytonutrients and no artificial sweeteners.  I mix it with rice milk.  The protein is primarily soy rice based and the vitamins are all from fruits and vegetables.  It also contains probiotics and land and sea minerals like kelp, spirulina, and wheat grass.  The unfortunate thing about Juice Plus is it’s not sold in stores, however it can be purchased online.  They send you a fourth month supply but bill you monthly.  I trust this company.  The have a lot of research to back their claims and the customer service reps are friendly and helpful.  I also use this drink as a substitute for breakfast when I’m in a rush. The All-Star drinks it too, although he’d prefer it tasted like candy, rather than health food.  It also comes in vanilla flavor but I prefer the chocolate.

Words of inspiration for today…

The best thing you can do is simply show up with a positive attitude, maintaining a high level of integrity, and lead by example.

Until tomorrow.

I woke up this morning with a sore throat and burning sinuses.  It was 7:45 and I had a 9am date to do Yoga with The Kahuna.  My intention was to ride my bike the 2.7 miles to the beach apartment but that was just not happening.  I danced with the idea of staying in bed until it was time to go to work but that is not what this challenge is all about.  So at 8:30 I pulled myself together, had a protein shake, took some ColdQuell, and drove my car instead.  We used a yoga class  recorded off the Oxygen channel.  It was no easy breathin’ yoga class and perfect for today’s challenge.  Also, it was nice to have a friend join in and support my quest.  Health wise, I felt good during the class.  At present, my throat no longer hurts but my sinuses are still congested and I have a chill.

For my post-workout meal, I had an egg, mushroom and onion scramble, wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla with tomato and hot sauce.  I’m being mindful of calorie intake during this challenge.  It is not my goal to lose pounds so I need to make sure that I’m consuming enough calories to maintain a healthy weight.  Last night was a delicious dinner of baked chicken tenders, zucchini, mushroom and tomato.  It was so good and so easy to make.  I just threw it all in a pan with some breadcrumbs and seasoning and 350ºed it until it was done (about 30 minutes).

Other cool challenge additions…

Thanks to my personalized Google page, I happened upon LifeMojo, a neat website that lets me track my challenge and fitness goals.  I found it last night. There are no gimmicks or hidden agendas that I can see.  All I had to do was create the typical username, email, password for my profile and I was signed on and ready to track MyMojo.  You can add your daily activities, diet, glasses of water drank, even waist measurements if that’s included in your goals.  You can choose to have it posted to the public or not.  One feature, that I absolutely love, is they are hooked up with Googlemaps which I can use to create My Routes, and as well as see what other running/walking/cycling routes are being created in my area.  Thanks LifeMojo for keeping me motivated!  I set a goal to run 20 times before February 5.  I’ve got two in the bag! Eighteen more to go!

Today’s meditation: From the words of the tv yoga instructor…

When the mind is silent, happiness bubbles up.

Namaste

So despite your greatest effects, you’ve found yourself sick.  Maybe you’ve got strep throat or that sinus infection that just won’t quick.  In order to blast out those crappy germs, your family doctor has prescribed you an antibiotic.   Now what, all better?  Not all the time.   There are two rules of thumb to remember when taking any antibiotic.  The first is to make sure you take the whole course, meaning finish the bottle, even if you are feeling better.  Bacteria has been around for a lot longer than us and they are stronger than we’d wish.  If you stop taking your medicine before they are completely eradicated, they can grow into stronger strains that will be resistant to antibiotics.  Eek!

What’s the second rule?  Take a probiotic.

What are probiotics?  Most of us have heard the word.  In simplest terms, probiotics refer to the good bacteria that reside in our bowels and work to maintain an healthy environment there.  When we take antibiotics, the bad bacteria that make us sick are destroyed, but the good bacteria are killed as well.  Without these friendly micro-organisms, we can easily develop digestive tract issues such as gas, bloating and diarrhea.  It is also common to develop candida (yeast), especially in the female genital tract.

The best way to replenish our body’s natural bacterial balance is with probiotics.  While probiotics are found naturally in cultured and fermented foods like yogurt, miso and tempeh, these foods do not contain enough bacteria to effectively balance the flora.  Health care professionals recommend an intake of a minimum of 15 billion live bacteria daily, especially after an illness.  And don’t fall into the trap set by food manufacturers promising health promoting products.  Check out yesterday’s NY Times article to read about faulty claims.

The best way to go about supplementing is to consult with your health care provider.  They may carry a product line that’s right for you or know the right place for you to get them, and always follow their instructions.  While self-diagnosis seems easy enough, it’s best for your health if you get the facts and do it right the first time.