Month: October 2014

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The #1 thing driving your food choices

Posted on by fshevlin

Do you struggle with making healthy food choices a priority?  If so, could you benefit from a food mindset shift? (Mindset = a fixed mental attitude.) Our food mindset largely impacts our food choices.  Having an awareness of our mindset around food is a great way to explore our relationship with food and discover what is driving our food choices. If you gave your mindset around food a voice, what would it say? An unhealthy food mindset may say…

  • Food is the enemy.
  • All food makes me fat/gain weight.
  • Food is a source of struggle.
  • I don’t have time to eat healthy.
  • Eating healthy takes too much work.
  • Food is my reward.
  • Food is my solution to stress.
  • Eating healthy is boring and unsatisfying.
  • I have a love/hate relationship with food

Do any of these ring true for you?  Maybe you have one of your own that has come up? Is your food mindset in alignment with supporting you living a healthy and fulfilling life? If not, you CAN transform your unhealthy food mindset into a healthy one.  Try on some of the healthier mindsets from the list below, or create your own.

A healthy food mindset may say….

  • Food is fuel for my body.
  • Choosing healthy, nourishing foods shows the respect I have for my body.
  • Eating healthy foods, in the right amounts, provides my body with what it needs to thrive.
  • Food fuels my life purpose and gifts.
  • Eating healthy is an expression of self-love.
  • Healthy food gives me lasting vibrant energy.
  • Eating healthy is part of my lifestyle.
  • Food is medicine.
  • Healthy food is both nutritious and delicious.

Did you find one you like? Or maybe you created one of your own? It may be helpful to write out your new food mindset and post it somewhere (such as on your bathroom mirror, on the refrigerator, at your desk, or in your car) as a reminder.

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Cooling the Fire Within

Posted on by fshevlin

What do all health conditions have in common?

Inflammation is the common denominator that fuels all health conditions.  Chronic inflammation is at the root of a host of modern diseases including diabetes, heart disease, depression, autoimmune disease, Alzheimer’s, digestive conditions, and more.  In the presence of chronic inflammation, damage is done to areas of the body as pro-inflammatory substances are continuously secreted into circulation.   This overactive immune process targets healthy cells and tissues, instead of protecting them.  Over time, this activated immune system creates a disruption of the body’s natural harmonious state, leading to dis-ease and illness.

Within our modern culture and lifestyle lies an abundance of potential sources of inflammation.

Causes of chronic inflammation include: sugar and refined carbs, damaged oils, excessive omega-6 oils (soy, corn, safflower, vegetable), trans fat (hydrogenated oils), processed foods, fast/fried foods, hidden food allergies (gluten, dairy, corn, soy, peanuts, eggs), hidden infections, chronic emotional stress, over-exercising, lack of quality sleep, environmental toxins, overuse of medications and long term suppression of emotions.

So how would one know they have a silent fire burning within?

Signs of chronic inflammation: joint and muscle pain, headaches, trouble losing weight, digestive issues, allergies, acid reflux, skin disorders, autoimmune conditions, chronic dental issues, high blood pressure, brain fog

What can you do to calm inflammation?

Eat anti-inflammatory foods: choose organic, fresh and local as often as possible

  • brightly colored vegetables and fruits including leafy greens, berries, lemons/limes, papaya, pineapple, kiwi, apples, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, tomato, cherries, figs, bell peppers, cucumbers, sprouts
  • healthy fats and oils like salmon, sardines, mackerel, almonds, hemp seeds/oil, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, avocado, red palm oil, coconut
  • sea veggies like seaweed, chlorella, algae, spirulina
  • superfoods and spices such as turmeric, ginger, green tea, medicinal mushrooms, garlic, parsley, aloe vera, cinnamon, cacao, cayenne, dill, oregano, basil, apple cider vinegar

note: organic, grass fed meats are higher in anti-inflammatory fats and nutrients compared to conventional, as well as devoid of the inflammatory toxic load present in conventionally raised meats.

Practice healthy lifestyle habits:

  • meditation, prayer, yoga, massage (studies show these reduce stress and inflammatory chemicals like C-reactive protein, fibrinogen and interleukin-6)
  • connect with a community of like-minded people
  • sleep: 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep in complete darkness
  • spend time in nature regularly
  • seek help from a health care professional if you suspect food intolerances or a potential gut infection
  • limit environmental toxin exposure by choosing organic, natural home and personal care products, avoiding plastics, and drinking pure water

Cooling inflammation requires a holistic approach, as inflammation can stem from physical, mental and/or emotional dis-ease.  It is so important to find balance in each of these areas.  Really take a look at your life and how you are choosing to live.

Commit to making 2-3 small changes to start.  Make them small and specific. Once those few changes feel like regular habits, choose 2-3 more.  Keep going.  Small and steady improvements in your diet and lifestyle will give you tremendous results in achieving optimal health and well-being.

 

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NOT all smoothies are healthy.

Posted on by fshevlin

 All smoothies are NOT healthy.

Truth: Not all smoothies are created equal. The health benefits of a smoothie depend on the choice of ingredients as well as the quality and quantity of each ingredient.

Ingredients to avoid in smoothies:

  • Excessive fruit juice/fruit
  • Added sugar
  • Artificial sweeteners
  • Dairy
  • Agave
  • Soy
  • Peanut butter
  • Flavorings
  • Cheap protein powders
  • Tap water

Healthy smoothie ingredients:

  • Pure spring water
  • Raw coconut water
  • Unsweetened coconut or almond milk
  • Raw organic milk (if tolerated)
  • Fresh and frozen fruit
  • Vegetables
  • Herbs and spices
  • Super foods like cacao, camu camu, chlorella, and greens powder
  • High quality protein powder
  • Chai or flaxseed
  • Organic nut butter
  • Greens powders
  • Raw honey, in small amounts
  • Stevia
  • Hemp seeds or powder

Quality: Look for cold-pressed, raw, organic, HPP (high pressure processing), no added sugar. Healthy brands include Suja, Evolution, and more. Check your local area for cafes and health food stores that make fresh juices and smoothies.

Avoid: Naked, Odwalla, Bolthouse, V8.

Quantity: We are talking about the amount of sugar here. Even though the sugar may be coming from fruit, the body knows no difference. Blood sugar spikes from a “healthy” smoothie cause such detriment to the body that smoothies, such as those listed below, are actually quite unhealthy.

  • Jamba Juice Kale-ribbean Breeze smoothie = 67 g sugar in a medium (16.5 teaspoons of sugar).
  • Jamba Juice Banana Berry “make it light” Smoothie = 45 g sugar in a medium (11 teaspoons of sugar). Eeeekkkk!

Bottom Line: Don’t assume all smoothies are healthy.

Look at:

  • The list of ingredients
  • The quality of the ingredients
  • Total sugar amount (check serving size).

Be picky and/or make your own at home.

 

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Why you crave what you crave

Posted on by fshevlin

A food craving can be a pointer indicating there is something in our lives that needs attention. There are various emotional issues hiding beneath food cravings. Stress, fear, anger, insecurity, and/or frustration are a few of the possible causes. A craving may also be an attempt to fulfill an unmet need such as fun, comfort, and/or love. One may also have a food craving in response to a need not being met. Food can serve as a temporary solution, an attempt to feel something we are missing (security, calm, joy), or to escape something we don’t want to feel (anger, sadness, anxiety).

By taking a deeper look into one’s cravings, the emotional issue(s) can be revealed and healed.

Explore your cravings by completing the thoughts below.

* My food cravings might be about fulfilling my need for…

* My food craving might be so I don’t have to feel…

* My food craving might be a replacement for…

* My food cravings might be to feel…

* My food craving might be a way to avoid the pain of…

Awareness is a key step in breaking free of food cravings. By being the detective of your indulgences you can determine what emotion, need, pain, or memory is the cause. By looking at the food craved and the situation that triggered it, the deeper root issues can be revealed.

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Paleo chocolate chip cookies

Posted on by fshevlin

Ingredients

  • 1 c. almond meal
  • scant ¼ t. sea salt
  • ⅛ t. baking soda
  • ¼ t. cinnamon, optional, but delicious!
  • 3 T. coconut oil or butter, melted
  • 2 T. honey or maple syrup
  • 1½ t. vanilla
  • 1-3 t. water
  • 2-4 T. chopped dark chocolate

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix the almond meal, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.
  3. Stir in the coconut oil, honey/maple syrup, and vanilla.
  4. Add in water as needed to bring everything together.
  5. Stir in the chopped chocolate last.
  6. Bake for 10-11 minutes on a well oiled or parchment paper-lined cookie sheet (the edges should be golden).
  7. Let them sit on the pan for 5-10 minutes (they firm up during this time, so this is an important step!).
  8. Remove and enjoy!

Source:  ???

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Baked Sweet Potato “Fries”

Posted on by fshevlin

Source: www.nomnompaleo.com

  • 2 large garnet yams
  • 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, melted
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • Smoked paprika (or your favorite seasoning –cinnamon works well, too!)

1.Preheat the oven to 400 F on convection bake (or 425 F in a non-convection oven).

2.Peel the yams and cut them into even matchsticks. Toss the yams with the coconut oil, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika and place them in a single layer on a foil-lined baking tray.

3.Pop the tray in the oven for about 30 minutes, flipping the frites and tray halfway through. The fries are done when they’re brown and crispy on the edges.

Serves 4 people as a side dish.

 

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Trail Mix

Posted on by fshevlin

Pick and choose your favorites!

  • 1 cup raw cashews or brazil nuts
  • 1 cup raw almonds
  • 1 cup raw walnut pieces
  • 1 cup raw pecans
  •  ½ cup organic pumpkin seeds
  •  ¼ cup raw cacao nibs
  • ½ cup dried blueberries
  • ½ cup unsulphured cherries
  • ¼ cup organic raisins
  • ¾ cup unsweetened coconut flakes or chips

 

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Quinoa Protein Bowl

Posted on by fshevlin

 

  • 1 C rinsed quinoa
  • ¼ C toasted unsweetened coconut flakes
  • ¼ C toasted slivered almonds, walnuts or pecans
  • 2 T hemp seeds
  • 1 t cinnamon
  • 1 pinch cardamom
  • 1 T maple syrup or pinch of stevia or coconut sugar
  • Dash sea salt
  • Unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk

Cook 1 cup quinoa with 2 cups water in a rice cooker or pot. When quinoa is cooked, add coconut, almonds, hemp seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, maple syrup or stevia, and sea salt and mix together. Top with almond or coconut milk to your liking.

Source: the Whole Journey www.thewholejourney.com

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Banana Chocolate “Ice Cream”

Posted on by fshevlin

Ingredients

  • 4 Bananas, peeled, frozen, and sliced
  • 1 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
  • ¼ cup Nut Butter of choice

Instructions

  1. Place the frozen banana slices in the food processor or blender. Process until fluffy, creamy and smooth. You will probably have to keep scraping the sides and pushing the bananas down occasionally until the ice cream texture is achieved.
  2. Once the bananas are the texture of ice cream, add the cocoa powder and nut butter to the bananas and process again until well combined.
  3. Serve right away. If you choose to freeze it after making it or because you have leftovers, let thaw on the counter about 10 minutes before scooping so it’s not so rock hard.

From www.ourpaleolife.com