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Conscious Cooking: How to Be Alert and Mindful About What We Eat

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009

Studies show that cooking can save your relationship, eliminate stress, boost your immune system, get you more energy, prevent certain cancers, reduce risk of heart attack, stroke and diabetes…

As a Holistic Health and Nutrition Counselor, I am asking you: Are you a good cook? Do you like cooking? How often do you eat home made meals? Home cooking will help you be healthier, save some money, maintain your weight, feel better about yourself.

“Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.”–Harriet van Horne

To become a good cook, or at least to start cooking simple healthy meals, we need to learn how to buy the right foods first. I‘d like to share with you an abstract from “Food as Medicine” by Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D. with tips on your first steps to becoming a conscious cook. They might help you next time you are in the grocery store.

…Healing with food should begin even before the food arrives at the table. We must be alert and mindful about what we eat, and that begins with the choices made at the store. Choices begin in your mind. If you can, take a moment to do the following:

1. Meditate, or clear your mind with a few deep breaths, before entering the market. This will also help you buy the right things for you and your family while not reacting emotionally to subliminal messages that are implanted in your mind by advertising.

2. Another option is to make a list in a relaxed state before embarking on a trip to the store. Food provides vital energy for the body while creating subtle energy for your spirit. If you are frenetic when shopping, you will make the wrong choices.

3. Before shopping, you might find it useful to refer back to your food log exercises, such as shopping by color. Remember to have your shopping cart look like a rainbow of nutrition.

4. Experiment by trying new – perhaps try a more exotic food such as goat’s milk, baked tofu or miso soup.

A conscious cook is always aware that every body is a temple of God and that to maintain the health, purity, and strength that are worthy of the soul, only wholesome, cleansing, and nutritious foods should be eaten.

Let us be grocery shopping smart in order to cook nutritious meals to stay healthy during cold and flu season, shall we?

P.S. It is also the right time when you might need help with one of my Holistic Health and Wellness Programs for Women including “Balancing Act”. Contact me and let us discuss which one might be a good match for you.

Breathe, smile and be happy.

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition and Relationship Expert

NaturalCounselor.com

Related Articles, Podcast and Video

10 reasons to Make Your Own Rainbow Salad

Cooking Meditation as a Stress Relief Tool and Weight Loss Technique

How to Read Labels and Find Hidden Sugar

How to Read Labels -Part II

Sugar and Caloric Overload Foods

“Super Foods” That Can Make Us Super Sick

Video Tip: Sugar Surprise – How Much Sugar Do You Think Your Eat

Video Tip: 10 Super Drinks That Can Make You Super Sick

Headache Triggers Might Be In Your Lunch

Video Tip: 10 Super Foods That Can Make Us Super Sick

Fall Detox: How to Eat by Nature’s Design

Mindful Eating: How to Get into Stress Free Eating Mood to Lose Weight and Feel Fabulous MP3 with extra tips available

Posted in Detox Weight Loss, Nutrition and Recipes, Self Motivation, Stress Relief Help | No Responses »
Tags: Holistic Health and Nutrition Counselor. Women's Health Programs, Home Cooking, Mindful Eating, stress, Weight Management

How to Get one Extra Kiss and Hug Daily

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Are you a wishing – good – night person? Do you normally wish Good Night to your partner, parents, in-laws and friends when they are around? Good night wishes are very important because they can warm up people’s hearts, make them feel special and loved which helps reduce stress and sleep better.

What about a Good Night Kiss routine? We are certain in the importance of good night kisses and hugs for our children, but what about us, adults? Is a Good Night Ritual as important for kids as for adults? Apparently, studies show that it is…

Listen to Podcast for Some Laughs

If we do certain things every day, they become a habit, turn into routine, and we don’t feel appreciated any more. Well, maybe. But I truly believe that most of routines are very beneficial especially for kids, dogs and husbands .

When people know what to expect, they feel safe, confident, relaxed and happy; they become more organized, manageable and more efficient. As for us, things we repeatedly do on a daily basis save us time, keep us focused, help us be more flexible and goal oriented, minimize our stress and frustration level which can save us several migraines and headaches, lower our blood pressure, and of course, help us handle any out of control situation better.

Sometimes we do take things for granted and are not grateful for them any more; sometimes we simply stop doing certain things assuming that they are not necessary any longer. But they are… We do need a human touch, hugs and kisses on a regular basis to feel happy, loved, and appreciated.
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Can you imagine: if we start with one Good Night Wish and soon after Good Night Hug and Kiss on a regular basis, we’ll receive extra 365 kisses and hugs within a year? For some people this is exactly what they need to feel appreciated and loved. It might improve our relationship, sex life, health in general, and even business, because happiness makes us healthier and more successful.

Happiness is like a kiss – it feels best when you give it to someone else.

~Author Unknown

And if sometimes we have to remind our partners about this extra kiss and hug, so let’s do it!

A kiss that speaks volumes is seldom a first edition. ~Clare Whiting

Let us be wise enough to enjoy extra hugs and kisses by giving, receiving and sometimes reminding….

And whatever we do let’s always remember to breathe, smile and be happy.

P.S. I will give you some ideas on how to say Good Night in at least 50 several different ways in my next post; it will amaze and amuse you at the same time, so stay tuned.

P.P.S. If you think you might need help with my unique Health and Wellness Program for Women “Healthy Relationship – Healthy You“, contact me and let us talk about how I can help and if this Program is a good match for you.

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition and Relationship Expert

NaturalCounselor.com

Related Articles, Podcast and Video:

Good Night Wishes as Laughter Therapy

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Are You Speaking the Right Love Language?

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Touch Therapy for Our Mind and Our Body

Ladies, Just for You: The Best Way to Let It Go MP3 available

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Instant Mood Boosters Mp3 with extra Tips and Laughs available

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Posted in Dating and Relationships, Headache Migraine Relief, High Blood Pressure Remedy, Nutrition and Recipes, Podcast, Self Motivation, Stress Relief Help | No Responses »
Tags: Good Night, Headache an Migraine, High Blood Pressure, Holistic Health and Nutrtition Tips, Hugs and Kisses, relationship, stress

Summer Survival Kit: Six Tips to Make Your Summer Happier and Healthier

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

As a holistic health and nutrition counselor, I would like to remind you some tips and recipes that will make your Summer days happier and healthier.

I. Don’t forget about Sun Damage and Sun Protection for your family and friends:

Tips on How to Protect Our Skin from Sun Damage Naturally

II. If you want your family and friends to stay healthy and happy, try to avoid foods that can make us easily sick:

Video Tip: 10 Super Foods that Make Us Super Sick

Video Tip: 10 Beverages That Can Make Us Super Sick

“Super Foods” to Avoid to Stay Super Healthy

Headache Triggers Might Be In Your Lunch

III. Try to incorporate lots of different healthy Super Foods into your diet:

Super Foods to Protect Our Skin from Sun Damage

Super Foods to Prevent Headaches and Migraines

Fiber Rich Foods to Keep Everyone Happy MP3 available

Go Red for Your Heart

Let Us Be Serotonin Smart to Feel Happier and Healthier

10 Reasons to Create Your Own Rainbow Salad

IV. Before going grocery shopping, read these tips on organic/non organic fruits and vegetables as well as sugar content in certain foods – especially if you have kids:

Why Strawberries, Peaches and Cherries Can Be dangerous for Our Health

Are Your Fruits and Vegetables Really Fresh

Sugar and Caloric Overload Foods

How to Read Labels and Find Hidden Sugar

Video Tip: Sugar Surprise – How Much Sugar Do You Think You Eat

V. To be relaxed and peaceful while your family, friends and kids try to make you feel crazy, don’t forget about stress relief tips and techniques you can start practicing right now:

What Sex, Garlic and Swearing Have in Common

Instant Mood Boosters MP3 with extra tips and laughs available

Video Tip: Three Instant Mood Boosters That Work

Instant Feel Good with Chocolate

Video Tip: Simple Exercise for Detox, Weight Loss and Better Sleep – Part I

Video Tip: Simple Exercise for Detox, Weight Loss and Better Sleep – Part II

Eight Tips on How to Get a Better Sleep

Video Tip: How to Fall Asleep Faster and Sleep Longer

Foot Massage for Weight Loss, Stress, Headaches, Constipation and Better Sleep

Food Meditation as a Stress relief Tool and Weight Loss Technique MP3 available

VI. Plan ahead to make your meals as healthy as possible.

- Start with a Healthy Breakfast:

Video tip: How to Make Fast and Nutritious Breakfast

Healthy Pancakes for the Whole Family

Healthy Breakfast to Feel and Look Fabulous

- Don’t forget about Healthy Snacks:

Video tip: Healthy Snacks for Energy, Weight Loss and Better Mood and Memory

4 Reasons to Eat Apples

One Extra Glass of Water to Drink and 500 Calories to Burn the Easy Way MP3 available

- Be Choice Smart Making Lunches and Dinners:

Healthy Recipes for a Picnic in the Park

Video Tip: Super Healthy and Easy Turmeric Dressing

Asparagus, Beets and Chicken Salads with Turmeric Dressing

Simple Detox with Cleansing Spices

Simple Detox with Cleansing Herbs

Detox Recipe: Kale with Cranberries and Sesame Seeds

Three Detox Recipes to Feel and Look Fabulous

Healthy Sweet Eats

Quick and Easy to Make Recipes to Beat Sugar Cravings

Healthy Recipes to Keep Our Skin Sun Damage Free

Heart Healing Recipes with Heart Healthy Foods

Lentils Recipes to Be in a Better Mood

Salmon and Avocado Recipes

Pain Relief Recipes for Headaches, Backache and Fibromyalgia

Beets Salads for Detox, Headaches, High Blood Pressure and Weight Loss

Let your Summer be the happiest and the healthiest time of the year!

Never forget to breathe, smile and be happy!

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition and Relationship Expert

NaturalCounselor.com

Books I Recommend to Feel and Look Fabulous

Check the side bar on the right and click here for more options.

Posted in Holistic Health, Nutrition and Recipes, Stress Relief Help | No Responses »
Tags: Detox, Diet and Nutrition, Holidays Recipes, Home Cooking, stress, Weight Loss Tips and Recipes, Whole Foods

How to Be Serotonin Smart to Prevent Headaches + Migraines

Sunday, June 14th, 2009

June 7-13, 2009 is National Headache Awareness Week

Do you remember a famous saying by Hartman Jule: “Sometimes a headache is all in your head. Relax.” ? It can help us explain the main triggers of our Headaches and Migraines.

If you do research for main factors that trigger headaches, you will come up with a familiar list:

Anger = stress + emotions +diet

Noise = environmental stress

Anxiety = stress + emotions + diet

Sleep disruption = stress +diet

Chemicals + medications= environmental stress

Hormone fluctuations = stress + diet + emotions

Hunger = diet + dehydration + stress

Lifestyle = sleep + stress + diet + physical activity level

Diet = dehydration + stress + diet

Hormones = stress + diet+ physical activity level

Sex = hormones + stress

Weight = hormones + diet + stress

As you can see, stress, stress and stress is #1 cause of most all headaches and migraines.

If we have frequent headaches we suffer from

Insomnia

Irritability

Impatience

Inability to concentrate

Anxiety

Depression

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Sounds familiar? All these symptoms can be caused by low level of tryptophan (amino acid our body cannot produce).

Studies indicate that people with low level of tryptophan suffer from seasonal depression, fatigue and insomnia. You know why? Because tryptophan needs for production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps the body regulate appetite, sleep patterns, and mood, in other words deal with stress.

Can you see the connection? If you take care of stress and get rid of depression, anxiety, irritability, impatience, impulsiveness, insomnia, you might be able to control your headache triggers and prevent actual headaches and migraines.

Food sources that help boost your serotonin level are foods rich in

Tryptophan:

Spirulina, spinach, soy foods, salmon, bananas, potatoes, almonds and other nuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, avocados, beans and legumes, dates, cheese, eggs; (if you eat meat: turkey, beef chicken, pork);

If you eat healthy but have poor absorption, your healthy diet doesn’t do any good. We always have to remember about absorption of what we eat. To increase your tryptophan absorption we need to incorporate more healthy carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables, grains, beans, nuts and seeds.

To increase our serotonin level we also need foods rich in B vitamins, Calcium, Magnesium and Omega-3 -essential fatty acids.

B- vitamins:

fish, peanuts, peas, broccoli, prunes, raisins, oatmeal, avocados, asparagus, bananas, spinach, walnuts, sunflower seeds, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, mushrooms, brown rice, cabbage, cantaloupe, salmon, seafood, sea vegetables, yogurt, whole grains and nuts.

Magnesium:

almonds, apples, apricots, avocados, brown rice, garlic, leafy vegetables, grapefruit, cantaloupe, sesame seeds, spinach, salmon.

Calcium:

dark green leafy vegetables (collard greens, mustard greens, arugula, dandelion greens, Romaine lettuce, spinach);

cruciferous vegetables ( broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, kale, collard greens, bok choy, radish , daikon, wasabi, horseradish;

fish with bones, almonds, sunflower seeds, tofu.

Omega-3 -essential fatty acids: salmon, fish oil, flax seed, walnuts

How do we know if need more tryptophan rich foods?

Weight gain, overeating, carbohydrate cravings are some of the signs of low level of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps our body control appetite, keep us in a better mood and deal with insomnia.

Numerous studies show that the less serotonin we have in the body the more chances that we might suffer from headaches.

So let us be serotonin smart to get rid of headaches and migraines, shall we?

Don’t forget to take a piece of chocolate (to boost your serotonin level) and them breathe, smile and be happy to get rid of headaches and migraines.

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition and Relationship Expert

NaturalCounselor.com

Related Articles, Podcast and Video:

Instant feel Good Mood with Chocolate

Headache Triggers Might Be In Your Lunch

Household Chemicals That Can make You a Toxic Dump

Fiber Rich Foods for Headaches, Blood Pressure and Weight Loss MP3 with extra tips available

Video Tip: Basic Yoga for Headache Relief

“Super Foods” to Avoid to Beat Seasonal Depression

Instant Mood Boosters MP3 with extra tips available

Chocolate Recipes to Feel and Look Fabulous

Laughter Therapy to Fight Winter Blues

What Sex, Garlic and Swearing Have in Common

Video Tip: Three Tips to Reduce Stress That Work

Foot Massage for Headaches, Stress, Better Sleep and Constipation

Food Meditation -Talk to Your Body PartII MP3 available

Posted in Detox Weight Loss, Headache Migraine Relief, Nutrition and Recipes, Self Motivation, Stress Relief Help, Whole Foods | No Responses »
Tags: Headache Migraine Relief, Holistic Health and Nutrition Counselor, stress, Whole Foods

Super Foods that Help Prevent Headaches and Migraines

Thursday, June 4th, 2009

June 7-13, 2009 is National Headache Awareness Week

More than 100 million people suffer from different types of chronic headaches, such as tension headaches caused by stress, sinus headaches caused by sinus infection, hunger headaches, cluster headaches sometimes caused by alcohol or smoking, and migraines, etc.

Some of these headaches can be prevented by making lifestyle and dietary changes. Numerous studies show that foods rich in certain vitamins and minerals can prevent or help with most of headaches and migraines.

Instead of taking painkillers try to incorporate more of these super foods into your diet first:

- water and fiber rich foods (to get rid of constipation). A lot of people who suffer from migraines experience constipation.

One Extra Glass of Water to Drink and 500 Calories to Burn the Easy Way available in MP3

High-Fiber Rich Foods for Headaches, Constipation and Weight Loss

- Magnesium rich foods, such as almonds, apples, apricots, avocados, brown rice, garlic, leafy vegetables, grapefruit, cantaloupe, sesame seeds, spinach, salmon.

Deficiency of Magnesium interferes with transmission of nerve and muscle impulses, causing irritability and nervousness which might trigger headaches; a lot of headaches/migraines are also caused by hormonal changes of periods (before and during menstruation).

- Potassium rich foods: apricots, avocados, lima beans bananas, garlic, raisins, nuts, winter squash, yams and yogurt.

Potassium is important for healthy nervous system. Signs of potassium deficiency include constipation, depression, nervousness, insomnia which might trigger headaches.

- Vitamin E rich foods: oatmeal, sweet potatoes, watercress, dandelion, flax seed, legumes, seeds and nuts, olive oil.

Vitamin E can help stabilize estrogen levels and prevent migraines during periods. It also improves circulation which help prevent headaches.

- Vitamin B Complex (B1, B2, B5, B6, B12 ) rich foods, such as fish, peanuts, peas, broccoli, prunes, raisins, oatmeal, avocados, asparagus, bananas, spinach, walnuts, sunflower seeds, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, mushrooms, brown rice, cabbage, cantaloupe, salmon, seafood, sea vegetables, yogurt, whole grains and nuts.

Vitamin B Complex deficiency can contribute to many anxiety disorders caused by stress, such as hormonal imbalances, blood sugar fluctuations, chronic fatigue, depression, irritability, moodiness, nervousness, constipation. All these symptoms might trigger headaches and migraines.

- Vitamin A rich foods, such as apricots, asparagus, beet greens, broccoli, carrots, cantaloupe, collards, dandelion greens, fish oil, garlic, papaya, peaches, red peppers, sweet potatoes, yellow squash.

Some possible results of vitamin A deficiency include insomnia, fatigue, sinusitis, frequent colds which can lead to headaches and migraines.
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Why Strawberries, Peaches and Cherries Can Be Dangerous for Your Health

Are Your Fruits and Vegetables Fresh?

Don’t forget that severe headaches shouldn’t be ignored: maybe you should see a doctor or even go to the Emergency Room. Any pain is a sign: our body tries to tell us something.

Let us listen to our bodies and be headache pain smart.

And don’t forget to breathe, smile and be happy.

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition and Relationship Expert

NaturalCounselor.com

Related Articles:

Video Tip: 10 Super Drinks that Can Make Us Sick

Video Tip: Super Foods that Can Make Us Sick

Super Foods to Avoid to Beat Seasonal Depression

Video Tip: How to Make Fast and Nutritious Breakfast to Feel Fabulous All Day

Video Tip: Healthy Snacks for Energy, Weight Loss and Better Memory

11 Reasons to Eat Beets

4 Reasons to Eat Apples

Headache Triggers Might Be in Your Lunch

Foot Massage for Weight Loss, Constipation and Headaches

Heart Heaing Recipes with Heart Healthy Foods

Posted in Beauty Remedies, Detox Weight Loss, Headache Migraine Relief, Nutrition and Recipes, Self Motivation, Whole Foods | 3 Responses »
Tags: Headache Migraine Relief, Holistic Health and Nutrition Counselor, integrative nutrition, stress, Whole Foods

From an Earth Day Diet to an Every Day Diet One Step at a Time

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.-- Annie Dillard

Let us celebrate the Earth Day by starting taking care of ourselves, one step at a time:

Listen to Podcast

1. Cook at home.

The food we take into our mouth goes into our stomach where it gets digested and eventually assimilated into the bloodstream. Our blood is what creates our cells, our tissues, our organs, our skin, our hair, our brains and our thoughts and feelings. Learning to cook high quality food for yourselves and those you love can change everything.

Healthier Substitutions for Your Recipes

Soup Time to Feel and Look Fabulous

Asparagus, Beets and Chicken Salad Recipes

Sweet Eats for More Energy

2. Eat the right foods.

- drink more water;

One Extra Glass of Water to Drink and Extra 500 Calories to Burn the Easy Way

- start with a breakfast

Video Tip: How to Make a 3-min Nutritious Breakfast to Feel Fabulous All Day

Healthy Breakfast to Feel and Look Fabulous

Healthy Pancakes

- incorporate more fruits, vegetables, legumes, beans, grains, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices into your diet;

4 Reason to Eat Apples

11 Reasons to Eat Beets

Eight Reasons to Eat Squashes

Detox, Weight Loss, Glowing Skin and Other Reasons to Eat Radishes

Heart Healing Foods

Immunity Boosting Spices Recipe

Simple Detox with Cleansing Herbs

Lentils Recipes to Fight Seasonal Depression

- switch to only healthy fats with omega-3 fatty acids you can find in olive oil, salmon (chose fish carefully because it can be highly contaminated with toxic chemicals like mercury and PCBs), walnuts, flax seeds;

Salmon and Avocado Recipes

3. Watch what you eat.

Avoid super unhealthy processed foods which add more stress on our system and are super harmful for our health.

Super Foods to Avoid in Order to Stay Healthy

Listen to Your Body and Be Crave Smart

4. Read labels.

We read all labels carefully looking for ingredients we cannot pronounce or don’t know the meaning of. There are too many preservative, chemicals, artificial colors we must avoid in order to stay healthy. Even more careful we have to be with labels on meat and diary products because most of the terms mean not exactly what we think.

Sugar and Caloric Overload Foods

How to Read Labels and Find Hidden Sugar

Video Tip: Sugar Surprise – How Much Sugar You Think You Eat

5. Go USDA organic.

Did you know that the worst toxins we can ingest are put into our foods as additives and preservatives? Organic foods are supposed to be produced without synthetic growth hormones, genetically engineered organisms, antibiotics, chemical fertilizers or chemical pesticides.

Why Strawberries, Peaches and Cherries Can Be Dangerous for Our Health

Is Your Mouthwash Cancer Proof

How You Can Reduce Your Risk of Cancer

6. Go local and eat in season.

To eat local and in season means that food was stored for less time and traveled not far. You get it fresher and more nutritious. Did I mention, that it will be cheaper?

Go local and find Farmer’s Markets near you at www.LocalHarvest.org

7. DeStress.

Stress is #1 cause of all our illnesses. If we want to be healthier, sleep longer and feel better we need to take care of out stress overload first.

Video Tip: Simple Exercise for Detox, Weight Loss and Better Sleep-Part I

Foot Massage for Detox, Stress, Sleep, Constipation and Headaches

Instant Mood Boosters – MP3 mini-class

Video Tip: How to Fall Asleep Faster and Sleep Longer

What Sex, Garlic and Swearing Have in Common

Video Tip: Three Instant Mood Boosters that Work

8. Detox.

Toxins can be poisons, heavy metals, pesticides, fungicides, cleaning solvents, smog, and many substances that we don’t even know are leeching into our bodies via our clothing our furniture, and even out carpets. We need to detox with the seasonal fruits and vegetables to stay healthy. It is also very important to avoid chemicals and pesticides not only in foods but also in skin care products, make up, cleaning products, etc.

Simple Detox with Cleansing Spices

Spring Detox and Beauty Recipes

Three Detox Recipes

Video Tip: Detox Recipe: Super Simple and Healthy Turmeric Dressing

Detox Recipe: Kale with Cranberries and Sesame Seeds

Healthy citizens are the greatest asset any country can have.–Winston Churchill

If you feel you might need help with one of my Holistic Health and Nutrition Programs for Women, let me know, and let us talk…

And don’t forget to always breathe, smile and try to be happy.

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition and Relationship Expert

NaturalCounselor.com

eBook “DeStress – 101- The Ultimate Guide for Busy Women”

Posted in Detox Weight Loss, Nutrition and Recipes, Podcast, Stress Relief Help, Whole Foods | No Responses »
Tags: Cooking, Detox, Earth Day, Holistic Health, Holistic Health and Nutrition Counselor, Organic Foods, stress, Whole Foods

Simple Exercise for Detox, Weight Loss and Better Sleep – Part II

Tuesday, March 17th, 2009

Exercise #2 will help you reduce stress, detox and lose weight by refocusing your mind. It will also improve your sleep.

Stress is an ignorant state. It believes that everything is an emergency. ~Natalie Goldberg

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Breathe, smile and be happy.

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition and Relationship Expert

NaturalCounselor.com

Video Tip: Simple Exercise #1 for Detox and Weight Loss

Video Tip: How to Fall Asleep Faster and Sleep Longer

Why We Need To Detox

Are You Skinny Outside but Obese Inside?

Are You Skinny, Overweight or Obese

Spring Detox Recipes

Foot Massage for Weight Loss, Stress, Better Sleep, Constipation and Headache

Eight Tips for Better Sleep

eBook “Detox-101-Super Simple Detox-The Ultimate Guide for Beginners”

eBook “DeStress-101-The Ultimate Guide for Busy Women”

Posted in Detox Weight Loss, Nutrition and Recipes, Stress Relief Help, Video Blogging | No Responses »
Tags: Beauty Remedies, Breathing, Detox, Healthy Cooking, Holistic Health and Nutrition Counselor, Sleep, stress, Weight Loss Tips and Recipes, Women's Holistic Health Programs

Go Red for Your Heart

Friday, February 6th, 2009

At the beginning of February we always celebrate National Wear Red Day to promote prevention of heart disease in women.

Let us make healthier choices to beat heart disease. It can be prevented with the right lifestyle – food you eat, exercise you do, lifestyle you lead (reducing stress and totalredapple anxiety).

Let us celebrate Go Red for Women Day every day by adding red heart-healing foods to our meals.

Incorporate more beets into your diet to strengthen the heart, improve circulation, purify/detox the blood, lower blood pressure. Beets Salads Recipes

Eat more pomegranates and water melons, and drink more tomato juice to lower your blood pressure.

Eat half a red grapefruit before every meal or at least in the morning before breakfast to lower your cholesterol. Studies show that it helps to loose weight too. Broiled Grapefruit with Port Wine Recipe

Add raw red onions (cook with white onions) to all your salads, spreads, side dishes, etc. to cut bad cholesterol. Roasted Vegetables Recipe

Eat more red legumes, such as aduki beans, red lentils and kidney beans rich in both tryptophan (to reduce stress and fight seasonal depression) and heart-healing fiber to reduce your blood pressure, detox your colon and give you more energy. French Lentil Soup Recipe

Eat red (purple) cabbage to get rid of constipation which ultimately will lower your blood pressure. Red Cabbage Recipe

Eat more red salmon and red apples (any color) -foods rich in Magnesium- to reduce stress. Fish en Papillote Recipe

Let us be heart smart, shall we?

Breathe, smile and be happy.

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition and Relationship Expert

NaturalCounselor.com

Related Articles:

Fiber Rich Foods for Weight Loss, Constipation and High Blood Pressure MP3 with extra tips available

Video Tip: How to Make Healthy and Nutritious Breakfast

11 Reasons to Eat Beats

How to Get One Extra Kiss and a Hug Daily MP3 with some laughs available

Detox, Weight Loss, PMS, High Blood Pressure and More Reasons to Eat Watermelons

4 Reasons to Eat Apples

Laughter Therapy to Reduce Stress

Hug Therapy to Fight Seasonal Depression

Lentils Recipes

Take a Break and Relax with Butterflies

Facial Meditation for Your Winter Skin

Asparagus, Beets and Chicken Salad Recipes

Posted in Headache Migraine Relief, High Blood Pressure Remedy, Holistic Health, Nutrition and Recipes, Stress Relief Help, Whole Foods | No Responses »
Tags: Blood pressure, Diet and Nutrition, Heart Disease, stress

Laughter Therapy to Fight Winter Blues

Sunday, February 1st, 2009

If you feel depressed, hopeless, fatigued (more than usual), your appetite is increased and you gain weight;

if you need much more sleep and have difficulty to concentrate, you might have a Seasonal Affective Disorder. laughter-chain

Seasonal Depression or Winter Blues normally occur during cold fall/winter season because of lack of vitamin D(not enough exposure to Sun), and low level of serotonin. Recipes to boost your serotonin level.

As we all know, laughter is the best medicine, because it reduces stress, boosts immune system, lowers blood pressure(especially in women), eases pain (you can completely forget about pain or ache while laughing), and of course helps reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.

Oh, and did I mention that laughter moves our lymph and increases oxygenation which helps to detox our body?

But the most important is that laughter helps us to raise serotonin level which is very important for fighting our winter blues.

So let us laugh !!!!

“Women have a passion for mathematics. They divide their age in half, double the price of their clothes, and always add at least five years to the age of their best friend.” — Marcel Achard

“Man has will, but woman has her way.”– Wendell Holmes

“Women now have choices. They can be married, not married, have a job, not have a job, be married with children, unmarried with children. Men have the same choice we’ve always had: work or prison.” Tim Allen

“I could sooner reconcile all Europe than two women.” — Louis XIY

“When women are depressed they either eat or go shopping. Men invade another country.”– Elayne Boosler

“Girls have an unfair advantage over men: if they can’t get what they want by being smart, they can get it by being dumb.” — Yul Brinner.

“From 30 feet away she looked like a lot of class. From 10 feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from 30 feet away.” — Raymond Chandler

“Any woman can fool a man if she wants to and if he’s in love with her.”– Agatha Christie

Laughter makes us feel better and happier, and it is exactly what we need during cold winter days when seasonal depression might occur.

Let us be SAD smart by using laughter therapy to heal ourselves from winter blues.

Breathe, smile and be happy.

Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition and Relationship Expert

NaturalCounselor.com

P.S. If you think one of my Women’s Holistic Health and Nutrition Programs might help you feel better, contact me and let us talk….

Related Articles:

Laugh Your Winter Blues Off

“Super Foods” to Avoid in Winter

Tips on How to Get a Beter Sleep

Simple (video) Exercise for Detox, Weight Loss and Better Sleep

Video Tip: Instant Vacation with a Laugh

Instant Mood Boosters for Busy Women - MP3 with extra tips and laughs available

Instant Feel Good Mood with Chocolate

What Sex Garlic and Swearing Have in Common

Fiber Rich Foods to Feel and Look Fabulous

Wishing Good Night As a Laughter Therapy

Posted in Detox Weight Loss, Nutrition and Recipes, Stress Relief Help | 2 Responses »
Tags: Detox, Laughter, Seasonal Depression, stress, Weight Loss Tips and Recipes

One Extra Glass of Water to Drink and 500 Calories to Burn the Easy Way

Friday, January 9th, 2009

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There are two simple things you can do to keep your New Year’s Resolutions to get healthier and lose some weight: drink more water and keep moving. And I am not talking about vigorous exercises or 8 glasses of water every day.

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To change our life=habits, we need to change our lifestyle, to change our lifestyle takes longer than we expect, that is why all diets fail. Let’s be realistic: to change something in your life and stick to it takes more than a week or two, and even more than two- three months, am I right?

If you ask me how to start drinking more water and move more the easy way, I would say:

start your day with a glass of water before breakfast and get a puppy – just kidding about the puppy or not.

Why and how to drink more water.

We lose water every day by breathing, sweating, urinating, having a bowel movement – this is how we cleanse/detox our body from toxins.

Drinking more water helps us get rid of constipation, lose weight, lower blood pressure, get more energy, get rid of headaches, have healthier skin and complexion, have better digestion, ease PMS symptoms, etc.

Did you know that migraines can be caused by dehydration? Lightheadedness, weakness, extreme fatigue, muscle cramps, headaches, nausea, tingling of the limbs are the symptoms of dehydration?

To drink more water is easier than you think. Let me explain how:drink a glass of water (warm with half a lemon preferably) before breakfast and a cup of tea during or after breakfast. It is already two glasses, and you haven’t even started your day yet! It is simple, isn’t it?

How to start moving without sweat.

First, why a puppy? In addition to my 11year old Aussie, we adopted another one year old puppy a couple of weeks ago. And guess what? With the same routine (two 40 min. walks a day) I started losing weight, because our walks now at a faster pace. They say young kids keep us young, well, young dogs keep us healthy .

But you obviously don’t have to get a puppy to burn 102 cal. in 30 minutes by walking or 136 cal. by playing with him. There are other options for you.

Walking by itself will help you burn a lot of calories – maybe that is why European women are slimmer as well as New Yorkers.

Walking and calories (source: burncaloriesperhour.com) :

up stairs -272 calories in 30 min
down stairs – 102 calories in 30 min
inside at work gathering things – 102 calories in 30 min
for pleasure – 119 calories in 30 min
under 2 mph (very slow, strolling) - 68 calories in 30 min

Don’t have time to walk? What about going shopping:

non-groceries - 78 calories in 30 min
groceries, without cart – 85 calories in 30 min
groceries, with cart – 78 calories in 30 min

carrying – groceries – 85 calories in 30 min

It is all about moving. You can burn calories even without leaving a house:

ironing – 78 calories in 30 min
cooking – 85 calories in 30 min
washing car – 102 calories in 30 min
vacuuming, around home – 119 calories in 30 min
sweeping, inside (e.g., floors) – 112 calories in 30 min

washing dishes – 78 calories in 30 min
mopping – 119 calories in 30 min
multiple household tasks, light – 85 calories in 30 min vacuum
cleaning – light (e.g., dusting) – 85 calories in 30 min

Don’t want to clean a house? Well, I can understand it. So what’s left?

Kissing and hugging. They will help you burn calories (34 cal. in 30 minutes), reduce stress and boost your immune system.

And speaking about reducing stress, sex will help you both with stress and calories: 30 to 50 calories in 30 minutes! So, more sex = less calories and less stress – please have it in mind.

As you can see, there are a lot of ways to move and burn calories. Start with baby steps, keep it simple and you will be surprised with the results:

one extra glass of water before breakfast gives you extra 365 glasses of water a year;

moving 30 minutes a day can help you burn extra 3000 or more calories a month!

Let us be smart and take simple steps to feeling and looking fabulous.

And, as usual, don’t forget to breathe, smile and be happy.

P.S. If you feel like getting some help, motivation and support with one of my Holistic Health and Nutrition Program for Women, contact me and let us talk…