Fruitful Living

Holidays can be stressful; many of us gather with our "interestingly functional" families, have out-of-town visitors, too much to do and not enough time to do it. It's the time when eating well and exercising are the most important, and also when many people are least likely to do these things.
It is possible to practice dietary excellence during the holidays, and to keep most if not all of your exercise commitments too, if you want to. The best way to do this is to spend a little time reflecting on the circumstances that tend to derail you and work out a plan for overcoming them.
Eating before you go to parties where you expect that only poor choices will be available, offering to bring food to holiday gatherings, and communicating with family members in advance about your eating habits can help you to stay compliant. Maintaining control of your schedule will not only help you to maintain your exercise routine, but also help you to organize the rest of your activities too. This might sound a little over the top, but I have a written plan that outlines what I will do each day in order to be ready for the holidays. Dividing the work into smaller parts keeps it from becoming overwhelming.
You can survive the holidays without losing your mind or your health and start the New Year lean, healthy, energetic and ready to go with a little planning and strategizing!

We all know the holidays are associated with food, and these meal gatherings are part of what we look forward to and enjoy with family during the holidays. I have had my fair share of the annual tradition of the “after dinner” food comas, but I have found some alternative fixes to the normal high fat, high cal dishes that at least make me feel like I can stuff myself with a “little” more justification and a “little” less guilt! My dad even has come up with an amazing nonfat pumpkin pie recipe (crust and all)..that means I can even enjoy some unnecessary dessert. Heres a few to try and I hope you all have an excellent holiday season
Click on recipe tab to check out
Mushroom Gravy
Yam Casserole
Whole Grain Stuffing
pumpkin pie

Beatufiul Skin. I don’t typically like to focus on such vain topics, but lets face it, as women we have been surrounded by the pressure of looking good since we were little, and we have a natural desire to look and feel our best. Beauty is not just skin deep, it goes much further than that. Outward appearance is a mere reflection of our inner health.

Skin is the largest organ and can either be flawless if properly cared for, or it can be a toxic waste dump for the body to rid of unwanted chemicals and toxins. What is a Blemish, age spot, acne? In short, under our skin cells is our blood supply, when our bodies have extra waste (processed foods, chemicals, toxins) the organs involved in waste removal (liver, kidney, lungs) are overworked and undernourished and waste deposits in the intestine are not being removed efficiently. Waste accumulates, gets clocked in the blood and is deposited into the biggest, most accessible organ (skin) and these deposits become a blemish on the skin.

Premature wrinkling, age spots, acne are all an effect of what we are feeding our bodies. The main cause for adult and teen acne is a diet filled with sodas, processed sugars and dairy. Wrinkles, age spots, fine lines and skin roughness are all due to a lifetime of bad nutrition habits. The good news is that there is a constant turnover of cells in the body and that the body regenerates skin within one month. Eating more good, whole foods and eliminating bad processed, refined foods (and dairy) you can experience dramatic improvement within just 27 days!

Achieving beautiful skin is really a 2 pronged process, inside and outside the body. I have stressed before the importance of certain foods that help regenerate and repair your cells, well the same will apply for the outside of your body. I can not stress enough the harm that processed foods and animal products place on your body, not only causing diseases, but places a burden on the body in every aspect of health, including the appearance of the skin that suffers. You can actually reverse and slow down many aging signs with the proper nutrition. If the body does not get enough of the nutrients needed to build healthy new cells, wrinkles persist and worsen. Diet is the beginning to beautiful skin and some fairly simple habits to create and follow will help get you there. By Eating a mostly whole food, plant based diet, you will enjoy results of a more healthy and youthful glowing complexion.

Remember free radicals (that cause premature aging) can be neutralized by the antioxidants in plants. Eat organic when possible, because the more toxins and pesticides in your body, the harder the organs have to work and the more apparent it will be on your skin. Stay away from processed foods, just remember giving the body any kind of processed foods reduces the efficiency of the whole system. One brand whole food based supplement that has been clinically shown to increase key nutrients and deliver antioxidants to the blood is juice plus. You can read more about that at www.afinchjuiceplus.com

Drinking plenty of water (approx. 1 qt per 60-70 lbs) of your weight a day. Fasting periodically allows the body to catch up, fully digest food and clean out toxins and helps the body rejuvenate (one or two meals once a wk is a good starter.) A good rule of thumb for products used externally, is to only use what you could eat. Your skin absorbs products as though you ingested them, so check out the ingredients. A great substitute for lotion and night cream that I have been using is to mix grapeseed oil, avocado oil and coconut oil together. These are some good starts that will help not only reverse aging signs, but help slow them down. You will not only have better skin, but will feel better from the inside out!
Homemade facial:
Mix avocado (great use for overripe ones) and oats, can also add a mashed banana. Put on cleansed skin and let sit until dry, than rinse off.

Fatty acids Fatty acids are one of the components that make up fat. Some fatty acids
are considered "essential" because they must be obtained through our diet. There are
two types of essential fatty acids, called Omega-3 fatty acids and Omega-6 fatty acids.
They serve at least three important functions and they should be in balance. They
assist in the formation of cell membranes, in the transport and oxidation of cholesterol,
and in specialized hormone production.
Omega-6 fatty acids compete with omega-3s for use in the body, and therefore
Excessive intake of omega-6 fatty acids can be a problem. The U.S. diet has become
heavy in omega-6 fats and low in omega-3 fats, because it is heavy in processed
foods and oils. Typical Western diets include 20 times the amount of omega-6s to
omega-3s, where this should be a 1-to-1 ratio. The body’s total requirement for essential fatty acids is very low, only about 3-4 % of calories. Most Americans get approximately 10 times that amount.
The best diet for a balance of Omega-6 and Omega 3 fatty acids is a whole, plant-based diet. Omega-3 fatty acid is found in many vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and fruits.
Fish & Omega-3 Supplements While animal products, including fish, contain essential fatty acids in their tissues, they also contain a biological concentration of mercury and other toxic metals in their flesh. The problems associated with this are well documented. Fish oils tend to decompose and, in the process, unleash dangerous free radicals. Another downside is that fish oil is between 15-30% saturated fat. Fat can encourage the growth of cancerous cells and stimulate production of hormones in the body. Fish are not unique, and make their omega-3 oils from plankton; just as mammals (including humans) synthesize omega-3 from land plants. Taking large amounts of essential fatty acids in supplement form can suppress the immune system,
including the suppression of natural killer cells and the production of immune
substances. These immune functions are important for defending ourselves
against viruses, bacteria, parasites, and cancer cells. Not to mention, scientific
studies using supplements have failed to provide evidence of the health claims
made about them. Evidence points to a whole, plant-based diet as the best source.
Anti-inflammatory: Omega-3 fats are used by the body as an anti-inflammatory. These fats can help reduce the inflammation that is a significant factor
in conditions such as asthma, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine headaches,
osteoporosis and more.
In contrast, Omega-6 fats produce pro-inflammatory in the body. They are found in high amounts in animal products, margarine, and many vegetable oils including corn, safflower, sunflower, palm, and peanut oils.
Flax seeds are the richest source of omega-3, followed by walnuts and
soybeans. One tablespoonful of ground flaxseed will supply the daily requirement of
Omega-3s. To protect it from oxygen damage, flaxseed oil or ground flax seed must
be stored in the refrigerator or the freezer. In order to absorb what we need from
flaxseeds, they must be ground. A spoonful can be added to a smoothie or sprinkled
on breakfast cereal, a salad, or other dish. Flax seeds have also shown to reverse
breast cancer tumor growth and the ability to reduce an enlarged prostate.

check out the Mega Omega muffin recipe for a great and yummy way to include flax.

When it comes to your health, it’s really your decision because ultimately you choose how you are going to live your life. You will decide for the rest of your life how you are going to fuel your body. Kids need fuel too and I can not stress the importance of teaching your children to eat right to help them grow. You don't want children “running on empty.” Children require “good fuel” (nutrients) for their growing bodies and they are harmed by “bad fuel” (highly processed empty calories).
Research shows children who have a healthy diet have better attention spans, academic success, athletic success and self-esteem than children who don't. They miss less school, see the doctor less, and take fewer over the counter and prescription drugs.
I have stressed before the importance of eating fruits and vegetables, Food is fuel and the plant kingdom is the only type of food that gives you the energy you need to sustain a long, healthy life. The sun, soil and water give plants their energy. When we eat plants, we get the energy we need to run, swim, play ball and think. Empty calories like chips, sodas, hamburgers, cookies, etc, may fill you up, but they won’t give you the protection you need to fight off disease and give you the energy you need to live a long, healthy life. Plant foods give your body the ability to fight off disease. No other part of the food pyramid or Del Taco or McDonald’s can do that.
Scientists and doctors have shown that 70% of disease is directly related to what we eat and drink. We are seeing an epidemic of disease in children and teens. We are seeing diseases that we used to see in only adults. Diseases like pediatric cancer, pediatric diabetes, pediatric arthritis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc. We are also seeing more and more children being diagnosed with ADD and ADHD. Western Medicine’s solution to this problem is drugs. Many doctors don’t even look at nutrition as playing a role in a child’s behavior patterns or brain activity because they haven’t been taught about nutrition.
I would like to share some startling quotes and statistics with you, that are sad but true..
Dr. David Katz: “This generation of kids growing up today will be the first generation to have a shorter life span than their parents.”
Dr. William Sears: “We are eating factory processed nutrition which is genetically unknown food to our bodies
Dr. Lydia Hazan: “Childhood obesity is already the leading cause of sustained high blood pressure in children.”
Dr. David Katz: “Children today will experience more chronic degenerative disease as a result of their poor eating habits than from cigarettes, alcohol and drugs combined.”
Ode Magazine: “Scientists suspect that many children with ADHD actually are displaying allergic reactions to one of many possible food products or chemicals.”
1 out of 2 children will develop heart disease. Bogalusa Heart Study
Cancer kills more children than any other disease. Gale encyclopedia of Children & adolescents, 1998
1 in 3 children born in the year 2000 will develop diabetes
Children at the age of 3 have fatty deposits in their arteries. Bogalusa Heart Study
By age 12, 70% of all American children have developed beginning stages of hardening of the arteries.
Less than 7% of children and adolescents consume the recommended 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables per day. Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine 1996.
The complex carbohydrates found in vegetables, grains, and fruits are good for you; the simple sugars found in sodas, candies, frostings, and packaged treats can do harm. It’s as simple as that. Here’s why:
Sugar depresses immunity (Studies have shown that downing 75 to 100 grams of simple sugar solution can suppress the body’s immune responses, the amount in two 12 ounce sodas.)
Sugar sours behavior, attention, and learning (many children and adults are sugar sensitive, meaning their behavior, attention span, and learning ability deteriorate in proportion to the amount of junk sugar they consume.)
Sugar promotes sugar highs. (Research shows adrenaline levels in children remained ten times higher than normal for up to five hours after a test dose of sugar)
Sugar promotes cravings (A high-sugar meal raises the blood-glucose level, which triggers the outpouring of insulin, excess insulin lingers in the system, triggering a craving for more sugar)
Sugar promotes heart disease (People who eat too much sugar tend to have higher blood triglycerides, and this increases the risk of cardiovascular disease)
So what can you as parents, teachers, counselors and mentors do to help with this crisis?
I want to help you with some great starting points for you and your family and the rest is up to you!
Encourage your kids to eat more fruits and vegetables.
a Have fruit washed and easily available. Cut up veggies and have them ready to eat.
a Use fruit for a sweet snack.
a Send fruits and vegetables as a snack in packed lunches.
a Serve fruit and vegetables as a snack at home.
a Serve salads first at dinnertime, when kids most hungry.
a Try new fruits and vegetables – don’t assume your kids won’t like them.
(Sometimes a child needs to be exposed to a new food 14 times before they’ll eat it.)
a Give your kids concentrated fruit and vegetable snack foods. (Juice Plus+ Gummies and Chewables.)
Why are raw fruits and vegetables so important.
a Raw fruits and vegetables are the building blocks for healthy bodies. You are what you eat!
a All people, including children, manufacture free radicals as a by-product of metabolism. These free radicals cause destruction and aging of cells and body, including cancer. The more active a child is the more free radicals are created! The antioxidants in raw fruits and vegetables neutralize free radicals.
a The fiber in raw plant foods can lower cholesterol, scrub the intestinal walls, reduce the risk of diabetes by slowing carbohydrate absorption and reduce the risk of many types of cancer. Phytochemicals found in raw fruits and veggies fight disease and reduce the risk of many diseases..
a Did you know that there are over 10,000 phytochemicals in a single tomato?
a Minerals in plant food, like calcium, sodium, magnesium, and potassium are all vital for proper body function and healthy cell regeneration.

Sandwich Ideas
Refried beans with red bell pepper slices & salsa in a tortilla wrap Hummus, shredded carrots and celery inside a tortilla
Hummus on whole wheat bread. Hummus or avocado instead of
Nut butters(organic peanut butter, cashew butter, almond butter) mayo
Nut butters and 100% fruit jam or jelly or honey Hummus with tomatoes, cucumber
Nut butter and strawberry, apple or banana slices Hummus with sliced grapes
Nut butter and grated carrots Hummus with grated carrot
Nut butter sandwiches on small crackers Leftover pasta or grain dishes in a wrap
Nut butter 100% fruit jam or jelly on a whole grain bagel Tofu egg salad in pita pocket with
Nut butter with sliced bananas rolled up inside a tortilla lettuce or alfalfa sprouts
Hummus with sliced & sautéed mushrooms Egg salad on whole wheat bread


Snacks and Sides Ideas

Fresh fruit with dip Broccoli dip
Fruit salad Baked chips
Fruit cups Banana
Dried fruit Raisins
Fruit Leather (read ingredients) Raw nuts
100% Applesauce Dry cereal
Apple, carrots, celery slices w/ nut butter to dip Plain yogurt with fruit, nuts, granola, raisins, dried cranberries
Carrots, celery & pita bread triangles w/Hummus for dipping Granola bars, check ingredients

Cleanse or not to cleanse… there are always new “detox” miracle diets coming out all of the time. I admit, I tried the “master cleanse” lemon/cayenne/syrup concoction.. once… suffered through 10 days of feeling no energy, not eating, looking sickly and even sharting myself a few times, so I vowed that to be the first and last cleanse I would try! Our bodies are designed to naturally detox and eliminate chemicals and toxins in our systems http://www.webmd.com/balance/natural-colon-cleansing-is-it-necessary
I do believe in a periodic fast and “elimination” of certain foods. Maybe you feel your body needs a little recharge or if you need to get back on track after a binge, or a sickness, or perhaps a European vacation that you only ate bread, cheese and wine for weeks (I’ve done it!) I just spent 2 weeks on the road traveling and keeping my husband company at a snowboard camp in Oregon, so I lived off camp food, and with nothing better to do, a glass of wine every night and inevitably put on a few extra pounds. I am now in Colorado preparing to run a half K race up a 14er with my dad, and really don’t want to be carrying an extra 6 lbs up to the top with me! I am on my fifth day of my cleanse and have already shed 4 of the lbs, without depriving or crapping myself.
The great thing is, you can still eat a lot of food on this “diet”, it’s the elimination of certain foods that helps. Cut out all dairies, meat, flours, alcohol and processed sugars. You can eat as many fruits, veggies, nuts, salads, beans as you like, they’re not only great energizing foods, but because of the high fiber content, they will help your body cleanse quicker too. There are specific cleansing fruits such as cantaloupe, apples and watermelon that are great to add during this time, too. This is a diet that really should be adapted as a regular lifestyle habit anyways. But for this short time that you choose to cleanse I would also add a nightly pro-biotic. Be careful with these though, because extended use will really tear up your stomach, and just be prepared to be near a bathroom in the a.m.! I also add 2 tbls of Liquid Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar to my morning 8 oz of water. If you put it over ice it makes it more bearable. The first few times I wanted to gag, but strange enough, now after a few times I actually enjoy the taste. This is another natural cleanser, and vinegars have been used for centuries as a detoxer for disease and illness. http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/apple-cider-vinegar.html
This is really all I do, and I love it because of the quick results and I always feel more energized even after just a few days. I also had two people in the last five days think that I was 19 yrs old and so than I noticed not only the effect on my body, but the fact that my skin did have an extra glow and I really did look younger! Maybe my turning 30 year old crisis I just had, can be cured with this simple cleanse!

Did you know you can enjoy eating healthy.. Believe it or not I actually like eating broccoli, beets, kale, even sauerkraut. Just like we can train our minds to learn more, we can teach our bodies to crave healthier foods. The reason is that once our bodies start receiving what is essential to make it function properly, it acknowledges this and begins to crave more.
I’m not here to tell you to stop eating junk food, I am here to teach you the importance of adding more healthier foods to your diet. Did you know that the American cancer society recommends 9-13 servings of fruits and veggies a day? Does anyone actually do this ? do you know why the cancer society says to do this? I would like to help you understand some basic concepts proven scientifically of the power behind eating plants.

Think about how intricate our bodies are designed. We all began from a single embryo, and now we an integrated body system of organs, tissues, cells and cell products all working synergistic ally together to help us live.

Every minute of every day we breath in oxygen and breath out carbon dioxide. It sounds simple, yet if we look how cells replenish it is astonishing how easily these cells can either function properly or they can get out of control. Cells are constantly diving and looking for another partner to attach with. These roaming cells are called free radicals.
When oxygen free radicals damage cromosones, cell lose their ability to control basic functions, than they will multiply out of control and this is the beginning of cancers and diseases. This also attributes to why we age.

Just as complex as our cells, plants are the only other living species that has a very similar cellular structure to our own. Plants can also be damaged by free radicals but, unlike us, nature has given plants the ability to produce natural compounds to defend themselves against the wild “free radical" molecules. These natural compounds are received from the sun and are called antioxidants. These Antioxidants attack those free radicals and keep them from getting out of control. And they can only be found in plants. When you eat plants, their antioxidants enter your bloodstream and protect you in the same way.

You’ve all heard of beta carotene, vitamin c, lycopene, vitamin e etc… these are all forms of antioxidants that can be found in fruits, veggies, legumes, beans and grains, anything that grows from the ground. all variety of plants contain a different nutrient or vitamin essential to our bodies.
This is why, its not only important to eat just an apple a day, but a variety of plants. There are hundreds of thousands of antioxidant nutrients in one a single apple. When vitamins are produced, they are extracted from the plants, and carry only a small portion of all those nutrients. Plus, when its extracted, it damages the cellular structure of the nutrients that are working together to form that complete essential vitamin that our cells need to replenish.
What happens is when an isolated viamin enters your body, the cells recognize it as a source of nutrients, BUT since it is only a portion of that nutrient, the cell will pull from other areas of your body to make it a complete structure it can use and recognize. So, it actually starts depleting minerals and vitamins from other parts of your body and in the long run makes your body deficient in other areas. This is why they are finally coming out with studies that vitamins do your body more harm than good and that you get better nutrients from eating the whole foods.

Take a look in your medicine cabinet and read the label, guaranteed it will say “supplement facts” this is because its not considered a whole food, it’s an isolated portion of a whole food, making it a supplement. The only product I have ever seen that reads “nutrient facts” is juice plus. And if you read the ingredients listed, all it says is parsley, kale spinach broccoli cabbage.. actually 17 organic fruits and veggies. Juice Plus is allowed to read “nutrient facts” because it is recognized as a whole food, and I just explained to you why whole foods are so essential to our bodies

I hope that you see now why the cancer society recommends 9-13 and it is to protect your health, your cells and even slow the aging process. So please try and add as many fruits, veggies, legumes, beans, grains to your diet as possible and try experimenting with new ones. You, too can begin to feed your body what it essentially needs and help protect your DNA from future damage.