Grow your roots for everyday living.

A Little Love for Yourself

I will never stop talking about self care and how important taking time for oneself is.  It never gets old, because every day we need time for us, time to do what feels good.  This allows us to tune in to our deepest hearts desires, listen to our intuition and show up as the best versions of ourselves.

It can be so hard to say “no” to things you should do and instead make time for the things you want to do.  When we don’t make time for ourselves we are left feeling depleted and agitated.  One of my favorite things to do is take a bath.  This is a time to decompress and relax.  There is no phone, no talking or distractions.  I absolutely love lighting a candle, using bath salts and reading a magazine as part of my nightly, bath time ritual.  It is quiet and peaceful, at least in the confines of this sacred space.

How much time do you give yourself?  What things do you do to fill you up?  Just 15 minutes a day will change your world..



What’s one thing you would love to spend time doing? xoxo

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“There is Pleasure in the Pathless Woods” – Lord Byron

Although you may not know exactly where you are headed or why you are on the current path, find what makes you happy along the way.  Find contentment in the little things.  What makes your heart beat and ignites your spirit?  Do more of that.  Our society breeds us to think big picture and to focus so much on the future, on getting somewhere, reaching a goal.  When you start enjoying the journey, the process, your whole perspective on life changes.  Real life does not go according to the plans we put in place, so the more you can enjoy where you are, the more enjoyable your life will be.

Regardless of where you are at, find time for happiness.  Reading a book, painting, writing, hiking, what is it that makes your heart sing?  Even the mindless activities like laundry and doing the dishes can give us such satisfaction and contentment.  I encourage you to simplify and instead of saying “yes” to every invite that comes your way, say “no”.  Say “yes” to you.  The more “you” time you have, the more you will be relishing in your true self and find your way.


Rooted in you. xo

 

 

 

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What do You Want in this NEW YEAR?

Here we go 2018!!  What is it that you are wanting to be more of in the new year?  Although intentions can be set at any given time, there is something uniquely exciting about re-setting at the new year.

My words for 2018 are: Kindness, Passion and Abundance.  I like jotting my intentions on paper because it makes them feel more real.  Instead of writing things you want to achieve in the new year, maybe think about what you want to be more of.  How can you give more of you in order to get what you want?

Where do you see yourself in a year?  A very fun exercise, is to write “I am” in the middle of a piece of paper and write all of the things you want to be doing and feeling in a year from now.  Make it half realistic and attainable.  Once this is completed think about how you can begin making this “you” become a reality.  What is holding you back from getting you where you want?  Once you establish what is in the way, you set yourself free.

A few areas of focus for me are: career, self care (skincare, meditation, yoga), guitar, travel, awareness of boundaries, LOVE with backbone, exuding gratitude, trust in the UNIverse, and Abundance vs. Lack.  I am incorporating my 3 words – kindness, passion and abundance – into each and every area of my life.


Kindness / Passion / Abundance / Gratitude / Trust / Love Always xo

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The Food You E A T: What is What?

A lot of the parents I work with ask what food’s count as what.  “I know an apple is a fruit, but does it have protein in it?”  When I ask some of my Head Start kids where meat comes from, they yell, “From the grocery store.”  I figured it might be good to break things down further.

The food pyramid puts our foods into categories: meats/beans, milk, fruit, vegetable, grains.  We also break food down into macronutrient groups: carbohydrates, fats and proteins; and then further into micronutrient groups: vitamins and minerals.  Just because a food is categorized as a  carbohydrate, doesn’t mean it is only made of carbohydrates or sugar molecules, it just means that this is the primary nutrient.  For instance, milk has protein, fat and carbohydrates in it.  It is certainly not all black and white!  Referring to the food label is also a good way to gain clarify on what a food is comprised of.  Eating a variety of Whole Foods is the best way to get as many nutrients in as possible.

Carbohydrates: These are found naturally in grains, vegetables, fruits and sometimes legumes. We need them in order to help fuel our brains and body every day. The most important are carbohydrates from vegetables and fruits. We do not need excess of grains or sugary foods such as: breads, pasta, tortillas, rice, cereal, crackers, chips, etc.

– Everyday Examples of “Good Carbohydrates”: Legumes, berries, melon, apples, pineapple, bananas, asparagus, broccoli, cucumber, spinach, mushrooms, onions, peppers, and tomatoes.

Fats/Oil: Fats and oils are commonly perceived as being bad for your body, but in fact, the “good” fats that are found naturally in food are essential to maintain your hormones, maintain gut health, make cholesterol, and are incredibly beneficial to keep you fuller longer. The reason why fats were originally given a bad name was because of hydrogenated and ‘trans’ fats from processed foods and fast food restaurants.  These fats are not beneficial to us.

– Everyday Examples of “Good Fats”: Natural oils we cook with (such as butter/coconut oil/ghee/duck fat for heat and olive/avocado oil for cold foods), some dairy products (such as cheese, Greek yogurt, raw milk), bone broth, eggs, meats, fish, avocados, olives, nuts, and seeds.

Protein: Proteins help maintain body structures, muscles and brain development. Eating more proteins in combination with carbohydrates and fats can actually help you feel fuller longer.

– Everyday examples of “Proteins”: Chicken, beef, pork, turkey, lamb, fish/shellfish, sardines, oysters, tuna, nuts, seeds, cheeses, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, dairy, eggs, avocado, nut butters (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower butter etc.), beans, and some other vegetables.

Vitamins: We have always been told, “Make sure you take your vitamins”, because everyone knows that it’s important to receive your daily fix. But what most people do not know is that if you eat a balanced and nutritious diet, you will get the vitamins you need. Vitamins are the most basic helping tool to make your body function every day; as they help with your body create energy and metabolism.  Nonetheless, taking a quality multi vitamin (Garden of Life, New Chapter, Apex, Standard Process etc.), is never a bad idea being that many of us do not get enough nutrients!

– Everyday examples of “vitamin rich foods”: Carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, bell peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, dark leafy green vegetables, tomatoes, almonds, beans/lentils, garbanzo beans, liver, oysters, tuna, milk, & bananas.

Minerals: Daily minerals are essential for a variety of body functions. They are important for building strong bones, teeth, skin, hair and other metabolic processes that help turn the food we eat into energy. Common minerals names include sodium, chloride, potassium and calcium; however there are many more. A balanced and healthy diet should provide enough minerals for most people.

– Everyday examples of “mineral rich foods: Fish, sardines, salmon spinach, liver, peas/beans, asparagus, mushrooms, dark green leafy vegetables, potatoes, bananas & prunes.

Water: The most important element of your daily diet should be water. Water plays many roles in the body including helping with your body temperatures and help transport nutrients throughout your body. Water should be the most important beverage you consume!

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Ever Wonder Why Your Child is Hungry all the Time?

Anyone have a hungry, hungry “hippo” child?!

This is what I jokingly and lovingly refer to as kids that are hungry all the time!  What many parents don’t realize is that most of what their children are eating is sugar – cereal, bread, crackers, pasta, cookies, milk, and even sugar – and this contributes to them being hungry all the time!  Most people think of sugar as treats and snacks we eat after meals or to meet our sweet tooth.  However, sugar does occur naturally in fruits, some vegetables and other foods.  And, many of the foods we consume contain “added” sugars.  Without the protein and fat there is nothing to keep us full, which is why 30 minutes after having some chips your child might be pulling at your leg for more!

  • Sugar is actually the only taste we are born with, so we will always naturally crave it.
  • Sugar filled foods actually do not keep us full, instead they make us hungrier more often. Constantly eating foods high in added sugar can promote eating more than what you really need, since you are not providing your body with any substantial fuel.
  • Calories from sugary beverages often get stored as fat in our bodies.
  • Natural sugar is best paired with fat or protein, in order to keep people fuller longer.

Fruits:

–       Eat Slightly Less: bananas, mangos, cherries, grapes, pomegranate, tangerines/oranges, pineapple

–       Eat Mostly: avocados, lemons/limes,strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, apples and apricots.

Vegetables:

–       Eat Slightly Less: potatoes, yams, peas, and corn.

–       Eat Mostly: asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, spinach, mushrooms, onions, peppers and tomatoes are all considered non-starchy vegetables.

Grains/Breads:

–       All have Sugar: The trick with grains is to eat them in moderation because they all have sugar in them. Remember that breads, cereals, tortillas, crackers, rice, pasta, chips, quinoa, oats and barely break down to sugar. Often, grains are a more white, tan or brown color, so if you have multiple items for each meal, watch the colors on your plate.

Snacks:

–       Eat Less: candies, gummy bears, fruit snacks (fruit Roll-Up, Fruit by the Foot, etc.), puddings, jell-o’s, cakes, pies, cookies, donuts, sugary cereals (Frosted Flakes, Fruit Loops, Lucky Charms, etc.), Pop-Tarts, and chips/Cheetos.

–       Eat More: Greek yogurt, ants on a log (celery, peanut butter, raisins), string cheese, hard boiled eggs, cottage cheese, hummus with crackers, veggies with cream cheese, nut butters with fruit, and carrots with ranch dip.

Drinks:

–       High Sugar: Gatorade/Powerade, fruit juices, sodas (diet and regular), Vitamin water, juice boxes (High-C, Capri Sun), Naked Juices, milk.

–       Less Sugar: water, fruit infused waters (by adding berries, lemon, limes, cucumber, mint, etc.), teas without added sweeteners, black coffee.

snackid snack2

Try giving your kids snacks that have more “bang for your buck,” in other words, more nutrients.  Instead of a piece of fruit, crackers, muffin, or tortilla, try adding protein and healthy fat such as with this Owl Rice Cake snack!  All you need is: rice cakes, nut butter, some fruit.  Decorate away!

Rooted in fun and filling snacks xo

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The Secret Feel-Good Tool : Posture Perfect

Lately I have been noticing how many people walk around hunched over and slouching. Even at places like the gym I see guys walking around with their shoulders rolled forward in a slouched position. I can’t help but think of how much more confident they would look if they walked around a little taller.

Posture certainly affects us physically, but did you know how much it affects our mental and emotional health? Standing up straight is like telling the world you are open and ready to conquer whatever comes your way.

Here are 3 fascinating things that happen once our posture changes:
1. Increased energy.
2. More positive thoughts.
3. You actually feel better about yourself, and this in turn affects everything!

beapina sometimesyouhavetogetknocked

A FURTHER LOOK INTO STANDING UP STRAIGHT

1. More Energy
Good circulation is crucial to keeping your mind alert, body energized and feeling good. Slumping tightens your chest and compresses your lungs — which means less oxygen circulating freely in your bloodstream, leaving you tired, stressed, and mentally foggy. While a slow, slumped walk drains us of our energy, a confident one builds our energy. It’s essentially a free, feel good tool to boost energy!

2. POSTURE CHANGES OUR HORMONES: STANDING TALL LITERALLY MAKES YOU MORE POWERFUL.
When we talk about body language, we can see the affects it has on relationships in the animal kingdom. Body language is used to express power through expansive postures – standing tall, spreading limbs and opening up the body. Think about how you feel when you stand up and keep your posture open, as opposed to closed. What do you notice? Studies have shown that standing up straight and tall can actually affect our decision-making subconsciously. Researchers have actually found that those people who use powerful poses not only felt more powerful and in control, but were also more likely to take a risky bet!

3. Better Digestion
Slouching after eating causes your stomach muscles to tighten, which can push stomach acid into your esophagus and cause heartburn. Standing, sitting up straight or walking allows your digestive system to work more efficiently, cutting down on gas and tummy pains.

4. Fewer Headaches
Headaches are a common by-product of our constant use of computers and other electronic gadgets — notice how gravity pull your head forward when you’re staring at a screen. This position pulls on neck muscles and nerves in the back of your head and cuts blood flow to the brain. The result: a throbbing head. Sit straighter and you’ll prevent the pain.

5. Less Back Pain
Need I say more?

WHAT TO DO
Practice keeping your shoulders down and back, and stand up straight. How does this make your feel? You might be surprised by how people talk to you when you’re walking around in this confident posture vs. the slumped over posture. Let me know how it goes, I would love to hear from you!

If you would like to dig deeper, check out Amy Cuddy’s famous Ted Talk on her incredible insights about how posture changes our hormone levels.

Rooted in standing tall and proud.

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Happy MLK Day

Take some time for yourself today, easier said than done I know!  Appreciate all that you are doing and all that you want to do.  Self care, self appreciation and self love will allow you to keep transforming and attracting everything you want.   Remember, the UNIverse is on your side.  Keeping setting your intentions and focussing on what you want to create.  Today is the first day of the rest of your life.  Happy MLK day. xo

Perspective itdoesn'tmatterwhatothers relaxinbed

Rooted in self care and self appreciation for a better you.

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A Complete Fertility Diet

If you have followed my advice to eat real food, manage blood sugars and have fun with ferments, you are right on track!

So what else?

Avoid These Dirty Dozen:
1. Artificial sweeteners; aspartame, sucralose, etc. Causes brain tumors and much more. (Documentary – “Sweetened Misery”)
2. MSG (monosodium glutamate, maltodextrin). This causes blood brain barriers, causes damage to the brain. ex. processed foods.
3.  GMO (genetically modified organisms). Scary experiment. ex. soy, corn, canola.
4.  Soy – Hormone disruptor – reduce sperm, wreak havoc on menstral cycle. Impossible to grow without pesticides..
5.  Corn – little nutrition, GMO crop.
6.  Caffeine – not great if trying to conceive, can be damaging to developing eggs and can effect the way genes turn on and off.  If you can’t live without, choose a local coffee brewer that uses high quality beans, as not all coffee beans are created equal!  (green tea is not a fertility food – it does have caffeine but has polyphenols. Probably could consume a little of lighter green tea – gemeicha).
7.  Decaf products – takes heavy hexane chemicals to pull caffeine out.
8.  Alcohol – not the best for developing eggs, sperm production.  Consume in moderation.
9.  HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) – insulin resistance in a can!
10.  Hydrogenated oil – hydrogen added to oil to increase shelf life, most processed food have hydrogenated oil.
11.  Preservatives – “embalming food,” it looks alive after shelf life.
12.  Wheat – hard on digestive system, not much nutrition and gluten intolerance is on the rise..

cutepregolady

Yummy Substitutes:
-Teecino for coffee
-Caffeine free rooisbos tea
-Lots of creative herbal teas online
-Kale chips
-Sparkling water
-Crispy seaweed
-Chewing gym with xylitol – prevents plaque on teeth, doesn’t increase blood sugar.
-Vinegar – consume with our greens to absorb. Balsamic, Rice, Apple Cider Vinegar.

Foods Turn a Switch on Our Genes:
-We’re learning from the field of epi-genetics that foods affect gene expression.  What we eat affects the expression of genes.
-What a woman does prior and during pregnancy affects her baby and her grandchild.
-Poor food choices play a role in the AAA epidemic (Autism, Allergies, Asthma) that we see in children today.
-Nourishing our bodies and our genetic material turns on good genes.

 

Rooted in healthy bodies and babes.

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Shake it UP

Blue Bird Rising
almond milk, blueberries, raisins, almonds, walnuts & honey

Splendid
almond milk, strawberries, dates, chia seeds & vanilla extract

Whole Hearted
almond milk, cantaloupe, banana, coconut butter, coconut, dates, cinnamon, almond butter & vanilla extract

Energize
almond Milk, coconut water, kale, banana, nut butter, dates & walnuts

Grazer
almond milk, banana, dates, nut butter, coconut, flax seeds & granola

San Diego Happiness
coconut milk, Greek yogurt, banana, nut butter, dates & coconut

Musculos
coconut milk, banana, blueberries, almond butter, protein blend

West Coast
coconut, water, kale, apple, lemon & ginger

Start Strong
coconut water, kale, spinach, celery, apple, chia seeds, flax seeds, dates, honey & spirulina

Sweetness
coconut milk, banana, orange, pineapple, nut butter & almonds

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<- Immune, Inflammation, Infection ->
For Extra Boost Add:

– Bone broth
– Apple cider vinegar
– Collagen powder
– Carlson’s cod liver oil
– “Green Food”
– Bee products (local)
– Protein powder

*Use “unsweetened” milks and other products to keep sugars down.

Rooted in liquid nutrients.

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Stay True to YOU

Choose the people you spend your time with wisely.  The six people you spend the most time with will influence you the greatest.  We are products of our environment, so when trying to inflict change its best to remember that it is only natural to be influenced by those you see, speak to and spend time with.  It is so easy to get caught up with everyone else, remember to do the things you love.  Stay TRUE to YOU! xo

theresonlyonethingmoreprecious

xmasornaments

icantellalotaboutaperson

Rooted in staying true to YOU!

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