How do I start cleaning up my diet and feeling better?

Several of my friends have been asking me this. And, I get it. It's a little overwhelming. The thought of replacing Chick-fil-A with brown rice and lentils does not seem fun. Even in my head, that sentence doesn't sound fun. But the good news is, it only takes a little to make a big difference. And the more you do, the better you feel, the more your clothes fit, and MOST importantly, the happier you feel. 


1. Find a "why": Find a reason why you want to clean up your diet. 

• Do you want to explore the mood-food connection? Do you think that maybe your depression, anxiety or stress can be improved just by changing your diet? It's worth a try. 
• Did you just experience a life transition? Life transistions often bring stress. Did you move, get divorced, or just have a baby? You can eat certain foods and drink tea to help manage stress. You can learn the effects of your food on your body so that you can pass that knowledge on to your child. 
• Are you sick? There are numerous studies indicating the role of nutrition in reducing inflammation (root of illness), and enhancing your health. 

2. Start slow - gradually add in healthful foods

• Start by adding in vegetables. Green smoothies are a great way to do this. You will feel the results, quickly, from eating green leafy vegetables. Here are a couple of recipes that my family (baby included) love.                                 Banana Peach Bliss

Or this antioxidant one... 

3. Be kind to yourself. 

• Improve your self talk - making changes takes time. How old are you? It's taken that many years to develop your current eating and self care habits. Sometimes it takes a little while, and a lot of support to make changes. Be nice to yourself. What would you tell your best friend if they were embarking on a health quest? Say that to yourself. For most of us, it's an ongoing journey. You won't reach the ending... you just keep on going, and learning... and eating. : ) 

4. Find some time for yourself. 

• This one is hard. Especially if you are a parent or busy at work. This doesn't necessarily mean vegging out in front of the t.v... take walks, take time to breathe, mindfully eat (no t.v.), mediate, pray, do whatever it takes to recharge. 

5. Get support

• Whether it's a health coach, a friend or family member, find people who will support you in making changes. We gain tremendously when those we love support us. Ask for support... maybe you will find another health seeking person to make changes with you. 
• Start reading. 
• Click here to get your Free E-Book from IIN. This is what started me on my path to wellness. It's an awesome book. 
• Anything from Kathy Freston
• Clean

6. Eat your fast food, ice cream and junk. 

• Yea, I said it. As long as you are adding in those veggies and extra water, go ahead and follow your craving. In time, they will diminish. If they don't subside, seek that support again, and a health coach (like me). There are definitely emotional ties to cravings. Deconstructing them can be very freeing and empowering. 

The more you do to take care of yourself, the better you will feel, and the more you will realize when you are out of sync. Your internal barometer will be strengthened. 

If you would like more info on how to making healthy changes, email me at theplantbasedhealthcoach@gmail.com 

Happy health! 

One Diet Does Not Fit All...

No one diet fits all. There are hundreds of diet plans out there from Atkins to The Blood Type Diet to Zone to South Beach. If we could cure the world's nutrition problems with a diet book, we would all be thin, happy and healthy. The key is finding what works for your body and finding ways to implement healthful changes into your life.

Many times people will preach one way of eating, and that is usually the way that works for them. It's great to hear their experience, but it's important to think about what works for you as an individual. Some people cannot tolerate meat, dairy or gluten, while others need small amounts of each of those.

If you think you have a food intolerance, try cutting out that food for a few weeks and log how you feel. Slowly re-introduce it into your diet and again, log how you feel. It's a way to get in touch with what your body is trying to tell you. We are so busy with our lives that it's easy to overlook simple ways that our body is trying to communicate with us.

Common body communications associated with food intolerance and/or over consumption of processed foods:

• Eczema
• Asthma
• Dry Skin
• Bloating
• Constipation
• Gas
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Acne
• Anxiety
• Depression 

While these symptoms can often be an indicator of a larger issue such as a medical concern, it can never hurt to try to tune in better to your body and understand how food is affecting you. In a fast paced world filled with ready made, processed and chemicalized foods, it's easy to overlook how these foods feel in your body. Try slowing down and observing
.
Challenge: Keep a log for a week. Write down every food you eat and how you feel 30-90 minutes after eating. 

Self awareness and observation is the first step in creating change, and you deserve it. 




Thanks for reading. For more information about foods that may work best for your body email me at: theplantbasedhealthcoach@gmail.com

Coffee and Tea

Coffee drinkers.... 

Consider this: if you are drinking 2-3 cups a day, you have an addiction. Don't worry too much. You're not alone. Americans drink 400 million cups per day. That's a lot of coffee.

Consider this: What would your life look like without your caffeine fix? Not so pretty, huh?  I hear ya. During grad school, I too consumed way too much caffeine to stay energized. When you're tired, it works. Kind of. For awhile. Well, not really. It will often leave you more tired, and needing more. Thus, the addiction.

Coffee is an adrenaline delivery system that jolts the body's central nervous system. Do you struggle with worry, stress or anxiety? Anxiety and anxiety disorders directly affect the central nervous system. Therefore, coffee probably isn't the best choice for you. Just sayin....

Coffee can make you jittery and prone to anxiety and panic. Most of all, it inhibits the absorption of essential minerals like iron, magnesium and zinc, as well as B vitamins. If you're drinking several cups to get through your day, think about where can you seek more balance in your life. Where do you need more balance? How can you get a little more sleep, exercise, nutritious food, a babysitter to give you some free time?

Thinking of cutting back or quitting coffee?

1. Proceed slowly and gently. Your body needs time to get used to the change. If you stop caffeine cold turkey, you will get a major headache, and of course will be tired and irritable. You need to replace the coffee drinking with other nutrition, and probably more sleep. Try mixing half of your coffee with decaf. Or replace one of your cups with tea.

2. Don't make it so tasty. Coffee can be delicious and can have tons of sugar and calories. Don't put as much creamer and cut out the sugar. Or, use a small amount of a sugar substitute  like honey or organic agave nectar. If you use creamer, use organic half and half. If you look at the ingredients for flavored creamers, they are filled with words you can't pronounce and sugar. These chemicals and added processed sugars don't belong in your body.
Sorry to call out a product here, but just for fun, take Coffee Mate's Vanilla Caramel creamer. It has (to name only a few) dipotassium phosphate, mono and diglycerides, and *GASP* Partially Hydrogenated Oil. How do you think your body feels after ingesting those nasty things? They are not energy promoting or healing. They are unnatural.

3. Drink tea. There are some really delicious choices out there. Add a teaspoon of raw honey for a little sweetness, enzymes, minerals and vitamins.

• Black tea: Made from the dried leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. It has about 50 mg. of caffeine per 8 ounce up. 

• Green tea: Loaded with powerful antioxidants. Has been shown to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer and lower LDL cholesterol. 

• White tea: One of my favorites. It has a light, sweet taste and a small amount of caffeine - about 15 mg. per serving. I love ginger peach white tea. The Republic of Tea makes tasty tea. 

• Other herbal teas: Made from various herbs. Check the ingredients to make sure that you can take all of the herbs, especially if you are taking medications. For example, St. John's Wort can interact with certain medications (including birth control and psychotropic drugs). That being said, there are some really good tasting and relaxing herbal teas to try. 

Refresh is my new favorite tea - I like it with honey. Passion tea is good hot, but I really like it cold. You can find Tazo tea at Starbucks, and also at your local grocery.
Sleepytime tea is really good and inexpensive herbal tea. Try drinking it close to bedtime.



One last word about coffee....
If you really love your coffee, try to enjoy, mindfully, one cup a day. Think about and enjoy each sip rather than slurping it down quickly. As you continue your health journey and start adding in more healthful foods and more water, I'm willing to bet that your desire and excitement for it decreases. It did for me and for my hubby.




Sources: 
Rosenthal Integrative Nutrition