If you are anything like me, knowing what to eat before and after a workout can be confusing! I called on Figure Competitor & fellow Health Coach Virginia Horsey to help answer some of these questions!
nutrition
Restaurant Style Salsa
I really like to make this salsa during the winter months or when tomatoes are not in season. By using canned tomatoes & adding the fresh ingredients, it creates a delicious “fresh” flavor.
I use my home canned tomatoes (tomatoes & salt) but you can pick some up from the grocery. You can adjust the amounts of tomato & cilantro to your liking.
(TIP: canning whole tomatoes is very easy. I just stuff the jars as full as I can, add 1/2-1 tsp pink salt and can.)
Italian Pasta Salad {Gluten Free}
This Italian pasta salad is perfect for that outdoor summer barbecue or a quick, cool dish on a hot day!
Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate
Summer is here and with that comes the desire for cold, delicious, satisfying drinks! This is my favorite cold brew coffee recipe!
10 Ways to Increase Your Energy
What is energy? Webster’s dictionary defines it in a couple different ways:
- the physical or mental strength that allows you do to do things
- vigorous exertion of power: effort
- usable power that comes from heat, electricity, etc
What is vitality?
- the power or ability of something to continue to live
What would your life look like if you had an abundance of energy and vitality?
Coming from a place where I was exhausted all the time and felt like I was lacking in certain areas of my life, I can tell you that life sure is a lot different now that energy & vitality are in abundance! Here are 10 tips for you!
10 WAYS TO INCREASE ENERGY
- Reduce or eliminate caffeine. The ups and downs of caffeine include dehydration and blood sugar ups and downs. Check in with yourself, if you are using caffeine on a regular basis for an energy boost, it is time to look at other areas of your life and how they are affecting your energy. Caffeine should not be our go-to for a boost.
- Drink water. I know, it is something that we all hear but it really is important! It is amazing how much better your body functions when properly hydrated.
- Eat dark leafy green vegetables. Greens are full of vitamins and nutrients and great for improving circulation, lifting the spirit, purifying the blood and strengthening the immune system.
- Use gentle sweets. Avoid sugar and chemical artificial sweetener. Those wreck havoc on our immune systems. Use gentle sweeteners like maple syrup, brown rice syrup, coconut sugar, honey or stevia.
- Get moving. Movement is vital to our bodies well being. If exercise is new to you, start slow! Walking or simple stretching for 10 minutes a day and gradually increase.
- Get more sleep, rest and relaxation. When you are tired or stressed, your body will crave energy. Those cravings are often a result of being sleep-deprived, going to bed late, and waking up early for months and years on end. I know it can be hard to get extra sleep but consider the costs of not. Check out this article.
- Evaluate the amount of animal food you eat. Eating too much meat can lead to low energy. So can eating too little. Experiment and figure out what works for your body.
- Take time for yourself. Find activities that restore your energy. Self care is also an important part of a healthy lifestyle. What relaxes you?
- Get in touch with your spirituality. Prayer time. Is it a part of your life? Do you trust and hope in Someone bigger?
- Get rid of relationships that drain you. People can drain you of energy. It doesn’t mean they are bad, but it is good to notice who drains you and why. See if you can transform those relationships by communicating and setting boundaries.
3 Ways to Boost Immunity Over the Holidays
The months of November and December can be quite hectic for people! From parties & shopping to end of the year work stuff, the stress of hosting the perfect holiday dinner, lack of sleep and traveling can make the holidays a stressful time. We can end up with a few extra pounds, exhausted, stressed out and sick. It’s quite important to maintain and boost our body’s immunity during this time.
The best way to boost up our immune system is through our food choices, rest and additional supplements if necessary! “Food is Medicine” Fruits and vegetables are immune powerhouses, each containing a different unique set of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Eating a variety of them is a sure way to get a sufficient amount of these essential health supporting elements.
3 Daily Action Steps To Boost Immunity
- Start your day with warm lemon water. It is a great immune builder and aids digestion. It also helps balance your pH levels and flush out toxins. It is important to stay hydrated! Water and herbal teas are my favorite things to drink throughout the day. Aim to drink at least 1/2 your body weight in oz. (Ideally I recommend drinking 1 liter (33.8) oz of water per 50 lbs of body weight)
- Make half of your plate vegetables. You just can’t even hardly explain how important the role of vegetables play in keeping our body in tip top shape. Eat a variety of kinds and fix them different ways to get different properties of vitamins & minerals. Example: raw, steamed, cooked, sauteed or roasted.
- Stay away from processed foods/sugars/breads. These wreak havoc on our systems. They are filled with chemicals that our bodies must fight off. When we are already putting our body under extra stress, it is a good idea to take extra steps to nourish ourselves. That will help relieve some of the work your body has to do.
Bonus tip
- Supplement if necessary. Take a digestive enzyme before consuming a heavy meal, keep your gut healthy with probiotics, include garlic to help fight off colds and to boost immune function and remember to take your multi-vitamin and fish oil. I also recommend taking a Vitamin D supplement as well. Most of us are deficient and this will help ward of the “wintertime blues”.
If you are needing to purchase high quality, potent supplements, check out my online dispensary here.
All in all, relax and ENJOY the beauty of the season!
Immune Tea
Fall has barely started and it seems people are starting to get the sniffles and sore throats already. 🙁 Mix up this herbal immune tea and keep it in the cupboard ready to pull out when you’re feeling a little sluggish or needing a boost!
Health benefits:
- Besides lots of flavonoids and free radical-scouring antioxidants, elderberries contain 87 percent of the daily value in vitamin C, and high amounts of vitamin A, potassium, iron, vitamin B6, fiber, and beta carotene.
- Nettle is full of calcium, copper, iron, folate, magnesium, potassium , selenium & B Vitamins. Pain reliever and improves inflammatory conditions.
- Alfalfa alkalizes and detoxifies the body.
- Peppermint increases stomach acidity, aiding digestion. Useful for chills, headache, colic, IBS.
- Echinacea fights inflammation and bacterial and viral infection. Stimulates certain white blood cells. Awesome for the immune system and lymphatic system.
Elderberry fun fact:
- As a moniker, the term “elder” is derived from the Anglo-Saxon “aeld,” meaning fire, because the hollow stems of this plant were used to gently blow on flames to intensify the fire. “Sambucus” is a Greek word meaning “wind instrument.” Native Americans once used elderberry branches to make flutes, so the tree was sometimes called “the tree of music.
Tea sourcing:
I source all my teas for this recipe from Mountain Rose Herbs. They are organic and have high quality sourcing. Get some here.
Source:http://foodfacts.mercola.com/elderberries.html
Source: Prescription for Nutritional Healing
Healthier Peanut Butter Cups
Wow! Did I stumble on an amazing treat or what?! Back in my junk eating days before I knew how much it contributed to my health problems, Reese’s were a FAVORITE! I mean the combination of peanut butter and chocolate? YUM!
