Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Building the Habit of Positive Self-Talk

Lots of things have been said over the years about building good habits or breaking habits that don’t serve us well. (Including by me on occasion!)

Most of the time, we think of those habits as actions or tasks; as things we want to do on a regular basis.

How often do you think about those habits as thoughts; as things you want to think or believe on a regular basis?

During the upheaval of the past few months, I’ve been struggling to maintain routines and habits, and my thought processes have been wildly uneven. It’s frustrating, to say the least.

Several days ago, I said to myself, “Self, it’s ok. You are doing the best you can. You have a finite amount of energy on a daily basis. Give yourself a break. Accept that you’ve used your energy, be ok with what you’ve gotten done, and let go of any guilt you’re feeling. Tomorrow is another day.” 

I also said to myself, “Self, look at the things you’ve done the past few days. Maybe you haven’t done ALL THE THINGS. But look at what you HAVE done and the habits you’ve started back up again. That should feel great!”

What are you saying to yourself or thinking to yourself ABOUT yourself right now?

I have a challenge for you. Spend some time with yourself and make it positive. Pick something you’re grateful for, or positive about, and focus on that feeling. Pick a conversation to have with yourself, and do it again tomorrow. And the next day. And the next.

That habit you’re building? It’s good for you. Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Go Outside and Garden

Ok, tonight’s beverage isn’t wine, it’s a rum & coke, and, TBH, I’m sort of struggling with things that require a lot of brainpower.

I am, however, extremely, thoroughly grateful for sun & rain & warmish weather & my garden. Maybe we’re limited in what we can do and where we can go, but I have endless things to do in my garden, so I’m getting fresh air, and dirt under my fingernails, and sun on my face. (But! Sunscreen!)

Diving back into old topics, I couldn’t decide which one works best for me today; they’re both true. Go outside! And, if you’re so inclined, plant a garden!

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

http://www.makeonechange.today/blog/2016/4/13/wine-wellness-wednesday-go-outside

http://www.makeonechange.today/blog/2017/3/15/wine-wellness-wednesday-gardening

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Caring for Your Health in Turbulent Times

My coaching philosophy is that anyone can make one positive, sustainable change a week to improve their health and wellbeing. We are living in turbulent, unprecedented times. So what’s one change you can make in order to keep yourself healthy now? (AND yes, I know. The phrase, “unprecedented times,” is becoming overused, much like the phrase, “out of an abundance of caution.” It doesn’t make it less true!) 

Caring for your mental health: stop watching the news. Take a break from it, even if it’s only one day. I had been watching the local and national news pretty much daily. Right now, that isn’t necessarily a good thing. I’m not saying give it up for a week, although that might be beneficial. Right now it seems as if both the local and national news broadcasts are on repeat. Take a break. They’ll be there the next day. In fact, I did this yesterday. It was hard. It was REALLY hard. I enjoy the routine of having the news on while I’m making dinner. I also knew that I needed, even just for a day, not to watch the news.

Caring for your mental health: take a break from social media, even if it’s only for a day, or half a day, or an hour. Put down the gadgets, put down the technology, and pick up a book, or a crossword puzzle, or a deck of cards, or yarn and a crochet hook, or bake bread. There are loads of studies and links (ah, the irony) out there saying that baking is good therapy. Taking a break from technology gives your brain – and your emotions – a break. 

Caring for your mental health: don’t compare yourself to other people. Keeping up with the Joneses? Don’t. Each of us is unique. Each of us is experiencing these times differently. How you’re feeling is valid for you. What you’re doing – or not doing – is valid for you. (This is where that whole taking a break from social media might come in handy.) You don’t have to come out the other side of this with your entire house scrubbed from top to bottom, or the next great American novel drafted. If you WANT to draft the next great American novel, go for it! But keep in mind that you are unique, and amazing, and take care of yourself.

If you had a schedule or a routine before COVID-19 hit, keep it. If you didn’t, maybe this is a good time to make up a new routine. Maybe this is the time to make some changes. There’s a lot out there about keeping up habits that you had while commuting to work. If you’re working from home, still get dressed. Maybe you don’t need to wear the three-piece suit. Maybe it’s just throwing on a clean shirt and jeans and brushing your hair. Nothing about these times is normal or routine, so even if you’re accustomed to being home, it still FEELS different. Most humans need some kind of structure in their days to keep calm and focused. At the same time, give yourself some grace to let go and be less rigid about some things. Sleep is important, so going to bed at the same time every night? That’s important. But deciding that maybe today you can have ice cream for breakfast? That’s also important. The weather is shifting, even though this week it’s shifted for the worse. Add a walk to your day. Or just go outside and sit in the sun.

Have you always wanted to <insert new thing here>? Maybe now is the time to start learning about it. After all, learning new things builds new pathways in your brain. It’s good for you! Are there things you’ve wanted to do and haven’t made time? Now is a good time to do them – or, maybe, not to do them. It’s up to you. Take stock of how you’re feeling. Are you tired? Hungry? Anxious? Crabby? Giddy? Can you figure out why? What can you do about that feeling in that moment? If there isn’t something you can do immediately, can you let it go? If you can’t let it go but you can’t deal with it immediately, make a plan. Write it down. You don’t have to be someone who journals in order to get some mental benefit from writing things down. Write whatever-it-is down, and, if you feel like it, shred it. But get it out. Get it on paper. Recognize and acknowledge how you’re feeling and when you need a break…and, most importantly, take that break.

DRINK WATER. If you find that you’re hungry, short-tempered, depressed, or distracted, take stock of your day. How much water have you had to drink? Staying hydrated can help with your sleep quality, your brain function, and your mood. You all know that water is one of my favorite topics. I know that especially when I’m less active, it’s hard to remember to drink water, so I have a reminder set periodically on my phone. Sparkling water, water with lemon, tea and coffee and even juice (up to a point) all help keep you hydrated. Have watermelon. Have other fruit. Drink the water. But stay hydrated! (Maybe put that water in a fun wine glass!)

Are you having trouble figuring out what to make for dinner? Lunch? Breakfast? Having more meals at home as a whole family instead of just breakfast and dinner?

1. Figure out what’s in your pantry and freezer. Why do you have a dozen boxes of Rice-A-Roni? How old is that bag of frozen brussels sprouts?

2. Make a list of the things you love to make. What are your favorite recipes? When was the last time you made …? What can you make out of what’s in the pantry? What do you make that can be frozen and made later? I have stuffed both of my freezers with frozen veggies and other convenient things, along with seasoned meat and veggies as freezer meals. Thaw them (sometimes you don’t even need to thaw them) in the morning and you’re ready to throw them together for dinner. Crockpot? Instant Pot? Microwave? All good tools.

3. Make a menu plan. Be flexible with it, but make a menu plan. Write it down – and use pencil. If this isn’t something you’re accustomed to doing, do two days at a time. Or if you think you’re up for it, do a week. Or two weeks. Or a month. I’ve used several different tools over time to do a menu, and right now I have two-week templates that I print up on Word documents. Usually I put the menu on the fridge, so it’s easy to see.

4. Plan eating out. Ok. So eating out isn’t really a viable thing right now. Many restaurants are still open for carryout or delivery, and they depend on regular business to stay in business. I would advocate for focusing on local businesses instead of national chains. And if you make a plan, for example, every Tuesday you order a pizza from Gusto, then you know it’s happening and you know you don’t need to figure out what to prepare from scratch.

Give yourself a little grace. Go for a few extra walks, but don’t beat yourself up for having ice cream and potato chips for dinner.

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Health Benefits of Hibiscus

One of the problems, if you want to call it a problem, of trying new things is that it seems as if everything I try becomes my new favorite thing. Last fall, I signed up to sell Epicure products as an independent consultant, because the overall theme of the company (Good Food, Real Fast) and one product line in particular (Epic Life Collection) fit with my coaching philosophy. (Everyone can make one sustainable change a week, and eating fun, healthy food is one tool that will help!) 

Epicure sells a collection of teas, and so far, they’re all delicious. One of my favorites is the Hibiscus Bliss herbal tea. It can be made hot or iced, of course, and it’s a lovely, refreshing drink.

I was talking about the tea with someone and they mentioned hibiscus as being good for digestion. We all know what that means…I had research to do!

First things second. I’ll be referring to it as hibiscus tea. Some people will take issue with this, as for the most part, hibiscus is used in herbal teas that don’t actually have tea leaves from the tea plant, Camellia sinensis. Well, that’s fine. It’s my blog post and I’m calling it tea.

Some research shows that hibiscus tea can decrease blood pressure. There is inadequate research supporting claims that it decreases cholesterol or helps with kidney or bladder infections, along with being good for colds or constipation or other issues. Research is also incomplete on whether hibiscus tea is beneficial for digestion. It does contain high levels of vitamin C, which can boost your immune system. Drinking it can decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety. Drinking large quantities of it, however, can be problematic and cause liver damage. So don’t drink gallons of it and think you’ll be even better off if you take it in supplement form.

Here’s the thing: as long as you’re not adding sweetener – or at least not adding loads of sugar – any tea is beneficial, because you’re drinking more water! And water is definitely good for you!

Is there a clear consensus on what the benefits are? Not yet! Is it still going to be good for you? Potentially, yes! And it’s delicious!

How do you take your tea? Cheers!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Menu Planning & Meal Prep

My husband called me “My Mad Food Scientist” today. I am amused. :) For the first time in a while I didn’t have a specific plan for lunch, which is odd. I recently inventoried our freezer and pantry, so I knew I had canned tomato soup, bacon bits, frozen peas, string cheese, and frozen tapioca cheesebread balls. (I usually have Brazi Bites brand of pao de queijo in my freezer. Gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, flavorful and amazing. I love Brazilian cheese bread!) So today’s lunch was cheesy-bacon tomato soup; I added peas to mine and baked some of the Brazi Bites to go along with the soup.

Uh, yum.

And since we are trying to limit how often we do carryout, it was a lovely feeling having something quick and moderately healthy to put together. Also I’m weirdly tired of frozen pizza, even though Udi’s makes one I can eat and enjoy.

I do typically have a plan. I plan menus, sometimes a week at a time, sometimes a month at a time. Recently, I did indeed take an inventory of everything in our freezers (we are lucky and have a small chest freezer in addition to the fridge/freezer) and the dry/canned goods in my cupboards.

The first time I created a menu and went grocery shopping after doing my inventory, I was nearly giddy. I felt so organized! (AirTable is a wonderful tool. Yell if you want more info. Happy to share the organizing nerdiness!)

Meal prep can also be hugely beneficial! Cutting stuff up in advance helps you figure out not just how much you need but what you’re going to use it for. I cut up peppers & onions recently for totchos, and then used the remainder – already chopped – for breakfast hash. The peppers and onions ended up being in four meals, not just two, which was awesome. 

Meal planning helps you manage your intake. Need help? There are lots of tools out there. Epicure has one, called the Epic Life Collection and one of my coaching tiers uses it.

How often do you find yourself thinking, “What’s for dinner? I can’t decide. I’m too tired to cook. I don’t want to cook. I’ll go to <insert restaurant name here.>” Whatever the reason may be, it happens. Maybe it’s been a really long day. Maybe you hate to cook. Maybe you have stuff in the cupboard and fridge, but you don’t want to be bothered.

Maybe planning ahead would have helped you ward off the “I’ll go to <insert restaurant name here.” ☺

I don’t always stick to the plan, which is fine, because even plans can change. Even before the COVID-19 outbreak, it’s truly impressive how we’ve reduced our tendency to go out to eat at the last minute. So how am I doing it? I sometimes print out a blank template that looks like a calendar, fill in the month and days, pencil in events I know about, and then start looking at cookbooks, or recipe cards, or recipes I’ve saved online. I found a wall calendar with columns of empty boxes; I can write down schedule items and I use one column for dinner plans, which has been awesome. I think about what might be going on that day; is it a weekday? I know my workload, so I know I won’t necessarily want to work on something that could take three hours to prepare. Maybe there’s a recipe I haven’t made for a long time, or a new-to-me healthy recipe I really want to try. (Maybe there’s a not-so-healthy recipe I really want to try!)

What are the benefits? I mentioned the grocery list and my inventory. Going to the grocery prepared with a list helps cut down on impulse buys. It also cuts down on going out to eat, which is both good for the pocketbook and the waistline. (I don’t know about you, but sometimes I find it’s much easier to indulge and overeat at a restaurant!) Having the menu also means I can plan on healthy meals and I know what I’ll be making, which takes away the stress of “What’s for dinner?” following a busy or stressful day.

How about you? Do you plan menus? Do you repeat favorite recipes, or try new things?

Menu planning! It’s good for you. ☺ (It can be fun, too!)

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Plan Your Day

(By the way…I really did have to laugh at myself. I had this written. It was ready to go for last Wednesday, March 4th. And then I DIDN’T plan my day and it went a bit sideways, although in all good ways. And didn’t end up with me eating a pint of ice cream at 4 p.m.!)

Picture this: you have an unscheduled day, unexpectedly, all to yourself. You make lists, mental or otherwise, of all of the things you want to get done. You think, “TODAY IS THE DAY!”

At 4 in the afternoon, you find yourself chowing down on a pint of ice cream, watching kitten videos, wondering what happened to your productive day.

The ice cream – while delicious – is not exactly the best midafternoon snack. At least, not if you eat the entire pint. (I do advocate, on occasion, for ice cream as dinner. Because occasionally it’s a fun plan.) An entire pint of ice cream before dinner? Life is short, eat dessert first is a fun theory, but not the healthiest plan in the world.

What happened to your productive day and how did it devolve into ice cream at 4 in the afternoon?

Now, picture this: you have an unscheduled day, unexpectedly, all to yourself. You make lists, mental or otherwise, of all the things you want to get done. You think, “TODAY IS THE DAY!” You take out your calendar, whether paper or digital, and you chunk out time in your day for the things you want to do, including watching those kitten videos and eating ice cream.

Here’s the key! You pay attention to your plan.

At 4 in the afternoon, you look around, you think, “Gosh, I was productive,” and you make a lovely cup of herbal tea. Or a margarita. Or you have carrots and dip. Or you start prepping dinner. Whatever it is, you’re purposeful about it, and you didn’t eat a pint of ice cream. Because, truly, ice cream would be better after dinner. Unless it is dinner.

So, what’s the difference?

To-do lists are wonderful things. They are. Checking things off the list feels great! LOOK AT ME, I DID STUFF. It’s a good feeling. Planning time on your calendar to DO the things on your list sets limits and goals around your time.

Also? Schedule your screen time. Unless your to-do list includes loads of stuff that require a smartphone, tablet, or computer, gadgets are distractions, not tools. Whether it’s kitten videos or reading endless news articles, suddenly you look up, the to-do list isn’t done and it’s past time for dinner so you end up with carryout, and that’s not always the healthiest.

I’m not saying don’t deviate from the plan; that will happen. Having a plan, though…that’s a really good starting point for a healthier, productive, relaxing day.

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Food Rule 37

“The whiter the bread, the sooner you’ll be dead.”

Well, that’s cheerful.

As Michael Pollan points out in FOOD RULES, white flour is not much different from sugar, in that the body processes white flour as it does sugar. Whole grains are better; we all know that.

It’s hard, though, SO hard, to turn down a piece of bread. Even going gluten-free, while it’s harder to find good bread, doesn’t exempt me from that temptation. Some of my very favorite memories of Dad baking when I was a kid are of fresh bread, recently out of the oven, slathered in butter. 

And there are some things for which there are just no substitutes! Cauliflower doesn’t make good toast, even as it makes good pizza crusts.

I limit the amount of bread I eat on a daily basis, typically to one slice at breakfast. It’s very rare for me to have more than that. I love it, but I also know that it’s better to have in small amounts.

So keep in mind that your body treats white flour like sugar…and limit them both!

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Personal incentives

I love potato chips. And (even though they’re not good for me) Cheetos. And other snackery type things. Those snackery-type things are not great for me, for either my weight or my pocketbook.

I also love lists. And I love using lists to keep track of how I’m doing with some of my habits. For example, I have a list in my phone listing all of the days I’ve cross stitched since May, 2014. It helps me keep track and I also know how many days I’ve stitched in a row. I started a new list tracking the number of days I’ve crocheted. I keep track of my exercise routine and my meditation routine.

And I keep a list of the days I’ve gone without potato chips.

When I say going without potato chips, I mean going out of my way (or sending my hubby) to go to a store and buy those so-called individual serving bags (Big Grab bags) of chips. (Have you ever looked at the nutrition information on those? They’re meant to be 2 or 3 servings per bag. But who does that? Who only eats one serving out of one of those bags?!) On occasion, chips might come with a sandwich or meal. Sometimes I remember to ask for something else; sometimes I don’t.

Feeling virtuous wasn’t cutting it. On days when I was tired, or stressed, or feeling like I needed a treat, I’d cave to the temptation and get a bag – or sometimes two – of stuff I’d be much better off not eating.

Several weeks ago, I had the bright idea to toss the rough equivalent of the purchase price of one bag into a jar. I haven’t decided what I’ll do with the money or when, but so far, putting aside a couple bucks every day I don’t go buy chips has been a much stronger motivator than just feeling happy with not eating those snacks.

Incentives and motivation. It’s a moderately complicated balance, but so far I’m happy with the results. I’m also hopeful that the longer I go without those snacks, the less I’ll want them, and that’s going to be really good for my weight and my pocketbook!

What have you done to reward yourself for changing habits & behaviors? Have you found that incentives work for you?

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Are You Protective of Your Time?

How do you protect and take care of your mental health?

Are you protective of your time?

How do those questions relate?

I recently had someone ask to schedule something over time that I already had allotted to something else. It would have been easy to say yes, but for one thing.

That allotted time and that other activity have become very important to me. I needed that time in order to fill up my energy so that I could be present and more effective with the people in my life and with the things I needed to do.

Mental health and physical health are inescapably – and critically – intertwined. It seems obvious to say so, however, we don’t always acknowledge the fact. We also don’t always make conscious choices that support one and therefore the other. 

Making the deliberate decision to put my allotted time and activity first felt fantastic. Mostly. I had a small twinge of something that might have been guilt for telling someone, “No.” I didn’t really say that; what I said was along the lines of, “That time doesn’t work but I can do this instead.” I protected my time and my activity and still made myself available at a time that could work for both of us.

It’s hard to do, sometimes. It’s hard to step back and take actions that we need in order to be our best selves.

It’s also incredibly important.

How have you protected your time this week? How have you protected your mental and physical health?

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Epic Life Collection

In the next few days I’ll be adding specific information to the My Services section of the web site, however, I wanted to share a little bit about what’s coming up & why I’m adding it.

I’m a foodie who’s allergic to many foods and who loves to cook, both complicated recipes and fast recipes. And to be honest, sometimes my cooking is healthier…but sometimes it’s not. Because come on. It’s about balance. And dark chocolate. And spinach. But maybe not spinach with dark chocolate.

But I digress. 

For several years I’d bought freezer meal kits from a direct sales company called Wildtree, and I enjoyed many of the products, even though I couldn’t eat as many of the things in the catalog as I would have liked. I toyed with the idea of signing up to sell it, and then Wildtree announced they were closing. Well, ok, selling that won’t be happening. My consultant found Epicure, I sampled one of the seasoning mixes, did some research, and I found the Epic Life Collection as one of the Epicure offerings. And I was intrigued. And then I signed up to sell Epicure as an independent consultant.

The Epic Life Collection is seasonings, measuring cups, a journal, and a menu plan/shopping guide. It’s an easy, accessible, and delicious approach to quick and healthy eating in positive, sustainable ways. It also matches my coaching philosophy really well! (For the record, Epicure sells many, many delicious things beyond this collection!)

The new offerings from Make One Change Health Coaching include several layers of coaching support tied with the Epic Life Collection, and I’m excited to offer it as a tool to help my clients build sustainable, healthy habits!

Please get in touch with whatever questions you have!

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Drink the Spinach Water

Um…say what?

Jolie. You don’t literally mean to DRINK the water from cooking veggies?

Well, no. While I do love spinach, I don’t literally mean you should put your veggie water over ice and drink it with lunch.

Here’s the exact text from Michael Pollan’s FOOD RULES. This is rule 26: 

“Another bit of traditional wisdom with good science behind it. The water in which vegetables are cooked is rich in vitamins and other healthful plant chemicals. Save it for soup or add it to sauces.”

Think about it.

How often have you cooked vegetables – of any type – and drained the water off before adding seasonings, or butter, or mixing in other ingredients? What a waste to send all of that down the drain!

Have you ever made your own chicken or beef broth? How about veggie broth? It wouldn’t be that different to save the water from cooking vegetables and mix it with homemade broth or use it to boost store-bought materials.

Do you do this already? I’ve done it on occasion but not often enough! If you haven’t done it, what could you see yourself using spinach water to cook?

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Are Leftovers Good for You?

I’d like to pose a deep philosophical question this week.

Do you think that leftovers are good for you? And when I ask that, I’m contemplating three specific factors: mental, physical, and fiscal health.

I’m going to put this out there. Leftovers are good for all of the above.

I was asked recently if I do leftovers when I make meals, and my response was an immediate, and emphatic, “YES.” Sometimes, the entire point of cooking a meal is to have leftovers. Sometimes, the leftovers are tastier than the first go-round with a recipe. Chili, for example! The flavors develop the longer it sits!

But I digress.

How, exactly, are leftovers good for your mental, physical, and fiscal health?

I’ll start with the easiest one first. Fiscal.

It’s cheaper to eat leftovers than to go out. Planning and cooking a meal that will have leftovers means you’ll have lunch or dinner the next day. And the next…and the next…if you’ve made an eight-quart pot of chili. (Why are you looking at me like that?) It’s also faster to reheat leftovers than it is to go out and get lunch or dinner at a restaurant, whether you’re getting take-out or sitting in. There you have it; leftovers are good for your fiscal health.

Now, let’s look at physical. Maybe you’re tired of chili. Maybe you’ve had chili for so many days that you’re ready to never have chili again and you want a hamburger and fries. Your sense of fiscal responsibility, though, tells you to finish the chili, so you deal with it. Not always, but most of the time, eating at home will be healthier for you than eating out. YES I KNOW. There are many healthy options at restaurants nowadays, and that’s good. I also know that it’s hard to decide on those healthy options if you’re out and you’re tired, or celebrating, or grumpy, or whatever the case may be, so you end up with a baked potato slathered in butter. And you may have more than you should, and you have dessert, etc. So that last portion of chili? Maybe you do something creative with it like put it over leftover mashed potatoes and cauliflower, or rice, or something like that. Maybe it’s only marginally healthier than going out, but it’s still likely to be a healthier option. Leftovers can be good for your physical health.

Finally, let’s look at mental. How in the world can eating leftovers be good for your mental health? Comfort food, anyone? Relaxing with a dish of your favorite homemade macaroni and cheese left over from the night before can help decrease stress, because you didn’t have to cook, you didn’t have to think about what to make, and you didn’t have to feel guilty about spending the money to go out. You could just relax with a dish of whatever’s in the fridge and have very few dishes or pots & pans to wash. Leftovers can be good for your mental health as well.

There it is. I think I’ve made a pretty good case for leftovers being good for you.

What’s your favorite food to have as leftovers? If you’re not someone who likes leftovers, why not? What would get you to change your mind?

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Relish Those Cranberries!

Happy New Year!

For those of you following along at home, I don’t tend to make New Year’s resolutions. :) Nothing wrong with them, they simply don’t appeal to me for whatever reason.

Instead, early this new decade, I want to talk about cranberries.

I’m not talking about the musical group, although I like their music.

I’m talking about that bright red fruit that seems to end up mostly in juice or relish, or the SHLORK of the canned cranberry jelly that everyone loves to hate at Thanksgiving and I not-so-secretly adore. Honestly. The sound is fun, the shape of the can in the jelly is fun, and it is sweet-tart-tasty goodness. At the same time, I also love my mom’s homemade cranberry relish with orange & cranberry and just a touch of sugar. Good stuff! 

Everyone knows (or so we think) that cranberry juice will help prevent urinary tract infections. In fact, it would be more effective to take cranberry capsules, as it takes a high concentration of cranberry extract, containing antioxidants, instead of drinking the juice. The antioxidants in cranberries can help prevent certain bacteria from taking hold in your system. Combining cranberry extract with certain oils, including oregano and coconut, helps eradicate e. coli. (I learn something new every day!)

Cranberries are good sources of dietary fiber, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, and B vitamins. Did you know that they may help prevent some kinds of cancer, reduce blood pressure, and improve your immune system? (If only they weren’t so tart!) Low-calorie cranberry consumption would be best, so find ways to add cranberries to your diet without a bunch of sugar, for example, by adding frozen cranberries to smoothies, or dried cranberries (without much sugar, if possible) to cereal, oatmeal, trail mix, or salads.

How do you like your cranberries? What could you add cranberries to in your menu this week?

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Great Grapes!

Grapes are wonderful things.

After all, wine is made from them.

And jelly.

Raisins.

Juice.

Get the picture?

I’ve written previously (several times) about the benefits of wine, specifically red wine, and I mentioned that many of the same benefits can be gained by drinking Concord grape juice. I realized today that I’d not written specifically about grapes! I’ll remedy that now.

Why are grapes good for you? Low in calories and fat, grapes are high in antioxidants that may help fight diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease. They’re also a good source of vitamins K & K, and they have small amounts of dietary fiber. Raisins are delicious, although they are less filling than grapes. Additionally, grapes average about 81% water content, so they’re helpful for staying hydrated while you snack!

How do you like your grapes? Fermented, as juice, or plain & simple?

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Breakfast Is the Most Important Meal of the Day. Right?

One of my favorite, long-time sayings is, “Everyone’s body is different.” It seems obvious, doesn’t it? My genetic and physical makeup is different from yours. Well, of course. My husband’s reaction to going gluten-free is different from mine, even though both of us benefit from eliminating gluten from our diets. We benefit differently. Again…seems like a “DUH, that’s obvious!” moment.

Everyone says, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” Let’s break(fast) that down, shall we? Couldn’t resist. Didn’t try too hard. Also. Who is this Everyone? Why do we listen to them?

A semi-regular-ish daily schedule looks something like this: wake up, eat breakfast, go about your morning, eat lunch, go about your afternoon, eat dinner, go about your evening, sleep, repeat. Food is fuel. (Food is fun, too, but that’s a different topic.)

Imagine going without fuel from that dinner period to well past that breakfast period. Your body needs fuel to function. You need those nutrients from a healthy, well-balanced breakfast in order to get from point A to point B and point Z and you get the point. If you don’t eat SOMETHING for the first meal of the day, do you find yourself snacking on less-than-healthy stuff in between meals? That can be a problematic side effect of not eating breakfast.

Skipping breakfast may (emphasis on may; the research is incomplete) increase chances of getting heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Eating breakfast may potentially improve your memory. Eating early in the day can help regulate your blood sugar and your hunger levels. Blood sugar control is also typically best early in the day. And keep in mind the research, as I said, is incomplete.

“But, Jolie, I don’t like breakfast food.”

“Ok. Have a bowl of soup. Have a pork chop. Open a can of garbanzo beans, drain them, and add feta. Whatever. Have a meal of some kind! Really!”

I discovered a while back that I NEED protein for breakfast in order not to snack excessively between breakfast and lunch. Most of the time, I get that protein in the form of some kind of egg dish, whether it’s gluten-free egg-in-a-hole, or scrambled eggs, or eggs baked on veggies of some sort. Sometimes, it’s yogurt, but too many yogurts that are edible have too much sugar, which for me cancels out the effects of having protein. Sometimes it’s oatmeal, or cereal, and on rare occasions toast. But mostly it’s eggs. Sometimes with bacon, but not every day. My cholesterol count can handle eggs daily. Bacon daily? Nope, not so much. YES, I KNOW. Jolie doesn’t have bacon daily. I’m sure you’re shocked. Remember me? Health coach me? LOL!

What do you like to have for breakfast? If you aren’t a breakfast-eater, what would get you to change your mind?

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Guest Post! Benefits of Qigong

I am delighted this week to share information from Michelle Eisenhauer, a Certified Qigong Professional and co-owner of Inner Light Haven LLC. I’ve started going to Qigong sessions with Michelle and enjoying them very much! The first night I attended a Qigong session, I slept magnificently!! That was a benefit I hadn’t anticipated!

*************

Qigong (pronounced chee-gong) is the practice of cultivating vital life-force energy through various techniques. Traditionally Chinese, this centuries-old practice develops a healthy mind, body, and spirit.  Gentle movements activate key acupressure points, meridians, and organ systems to fill energy deficiencies or remove excess. This will fortify muscles, joints, and bones to gain strength and flexibility, along with breathing techniques and meditations that increase awareness, reduce stress and tension for a sense of peace, happiness, and contentment. 

All movements are simple, gentle, and adaptable. Since it does not require any special equipment or clothing, Qigong can be done anytime, anywhere and in any amount of time. This self-healing art assists with all health challenges and compliments any medical or alternative health treatment. 

This simple practice heals on physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels, bringing more peace and balance into your life helping to restore optimal health. 

Michelle Eisenhauer
Certified Qigong Professional
Inner Light Haven LLC
www.innerlighthaven.com
michelle@innerlighthaven.com
641-275-2407

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Give Peas a Chance!

Couldn’t resist the pun. Didn’t try very hard, either. I know, I know, it isn’t super creative and it’s been done before. I’m at peas with that.

Seriously, though. I’d better start minding my peas & Qs!

Really. I’ll stop now.

I love green peas. When they are, however briefly, in season and available at the farmers’ market, I love buying old-fashioned shell peas, shelling them, and eating them right away. I love adding peas to my macaroni and cheese, eating them frozen out of the bag, or using them to doctor leftover potato soup along with ham & garlic. (For example, the thumbnail picture with this post!) I love snap peas, both as a fresh snack and added to recipes, and snow peas in sautés and stir-fries.

Peas are good sources of iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, and some of the B vitamins. They are considered a starchy food, along the lines of potatoes, as about 70% of their calories come from carbohydrates. Peas are also a decent source of dietary fiber and protein, and they are being used more and more in the creation of meat alternatives such as Beyond Meat’s Beyond Burger. You can also find peas in non-dairy milk and ice cream as well as gluten-free noodles. Pea plants are more drought-tolerant than wheat, corn, or soy, which makes them more environmentally friendly to grow. And while it is possible to be allergic to peas, especially if you’re allergic to any other legume, such as peanuts, it is rare. Peas are one of the foods that contain antinutrients; these are substances that can inhibit your body’s ability to absorb some nutrients. For that reason, it is typically better to eat peas cooked instead of raw. (I’m still going to eat them any way I can get them!)

Perfect food? Maybe not, but peas are certainly delicious, nutritious, and good for the planet. That’s a good start toward appeasing our need for other products. (See what I did there?)

How do you like your peas?

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: What Are Your Goals?

I would like to talk about goals. Goals are good. It’s important, as everyone knows, to have at least SMART goals. It’s better, as many people know, to have SMARTER goals.
What’s the difference?

SMART:

• Specific

• Measurable

• Achievable

• Relevant

• Timely

SMARTER:

• Specific

• Measurable

• Achievable

• Relevant

• Timely

• Evaluate

• Revise

Either way you look at it, it’s important to be smart about what you’re trying to accomplish. Big dreams and big goals are good! Figuring out how to achieve smaller, stepping-stone goals on the way to those big dreams and big goals? Also good.

I have very bad knees, as a result of too many years carrying too much weight. I’ve been getting cortisone shots in my left knee for several years now, and every time I have a conversation with the doctor. I must lose more weight before I can get my knees replaced. (On the flip side, the more weight I lose, the less pressure on the knees! They won’t heal by themselves, but they will hurt a little less!) I had a cortisone shot in May, and I set myself a goal. I wanted to lose at least 10 pounds by the time I had the next shot, which could have been any time after 8/21. It happens I had it on 9/19. (I kept forgetting to call and schedule it.)

I made my goal. I made my goal! AND I felt great about it! I had a specific goal, it was measurable and achievable, I set a timeframe, it was relevant to my current and long-term concerns, and it was timely. As I worked on my eating and activity habits between 5/21 and 9/19, I evaluated how I felt about my progress and revised my actions accordingly. (I also didn’t beat myself up for the occasional increases due to mildly indulgent evenings! All things in moderation…) I celebrated with a dark chocolate campfire mocha from a coffee shop. (Dark chocolate is good for you!) Treats & rewards…in moderation…are also good for you!

Goals. When I work with my clients, I ask “What are your goals? How can I as a health coach support you?” One way I work with individuals is to emphasize positive accountability. How are you doing now? How do you feel about it? What can you do this week to make progress toward your goal? How about next week? What are you going to do to celebrate when you hit your goal? Is your goal still serving your current and long-term needs? Those are the things we talk about in my coaching conversations. And I love helping people figure out how to make progress!!

What are your goals? How are you making progress on those goals? Give yourself a shout out!! Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Quinoa Quite Qool

LOL! Ok, so I know it is a terrible spelling, however, as I’m fond of alliteration, I couldn’t resist. I didn’t try very hard, either, to be completely honest!

I love rice, and pasta (gluten-free, of course), and potatoes, but sometimes? Sometimes I want something different.

Quinoa is an intriguing and tasty option when I want something that seems starchy…but is surprisingly full of protein and lower in carbs. Watching carbs? Quinoa has 21 grams to pasta’s 30 and white rice’s 80, in a 3.5 ounce serving. It’s a good source for folate (a B vitamin), iron, magnesium, manganese, and phosphorous in your diet.

Quinoa is not a grass; it’s a flowering plant actually related to spinach! It cooks fairly rapidly and it’s honestly fun to watch it cook, as parts of the seed become translucent. It’s good both hot and cold, and I use it both as a base for things with sauces and as an addition to salads.

Have you cooked with quinoa recently? What’s on your menu that you could replace with quinoa for your starch option?

Cheers! Here’s to your health!

Wine & Wellness Wednesday: Mushrooms!

“All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once.” ~Terry Pratchett, author

Ok, full disclosure time.

This will be one of those exceedingly rare times when I discuss the health benefits of something that I have absolutely zero intent to ever consume.

My father is deathly allergic to mushrooms. I mean deathly. Like completely and deathly allergic to mushrooms. It’s the spores; it is basically impossible to clean mushrooms well enough and get rid of all of the spores, so he avoids them completely. And so do I. I don’t know that I’ve inherited that allergy, however, with all of my other allergies, it’s simply best to skip them completely.

However! Mushrooms have many health benefits, and many people are very fond of them. What are some examples?

They’re low in calorie count. One cup of mushrooms has only 15-20 calories per cup. They’re high in fiber, so that one cup of mushrooms will fill you up & help satisfy your appetite. Mushrooms have potassium (helps with muscle cramps), B vitamins, choline (helps with sleep), copper (necessary for healthy red blood cells), and selenium (wards off depression). All of those nutrients may help fight inflammation in the body, which can help with your joints, depression, and general well-being. Mushrooms are also a rare item in the food nutrition world: they have vitamin D, which helps build strong bones and fight inflammation. (Again with that anti-inflammatory thing. Darn food allergies…)

So if you like mushrooms but you don’t think about them often, what are some options? Toss them raw into salads. Add them to pizzas or sauté or stir-fry them with other veggies. Drink them in your coffee. (Say…what?! Not kidding. Look it up!) Add them to scrambled eggs or omelets.

BE AWARE! This is vitally important. It can be very, very difficult to determine which mushrooms in the wild are edible and which are poisonous. Therefore, I absolutely recommend against picking your own, other than morels. They’re pretty obvious. Go to a store, or find a reputable mushroom hunter.

So! If you’re a fun-guy (or fun-gal), what do you like about mushrooms? What have you enjoyed mushrooms in recently? Salute the ‘shrooms, and give them a shout out!

Cheers!