Three Easy & Delicious Seasonal Dishes to Enjoy this Summer!

Eating seasonal foods is one of the best things you can do for your health. Seasonal produce is picked when it’s ripe (so plants get extra sun-time), and it generally has more antioxidants, more color and more flavor!

Where I am now, it's mid-summer, and I’m blessed to have a ton of fresh, locally-grown summer vegetables to enjoy. I encourage you to visit your local farmers market and stock up on seasonal produce; not only are you doing your body a favor, you’re supporting local farmers as well (and not paying the cost of transportation that you pay for out-of-season, non-local produce)!

Some of my favorite summer veggies include: arugula, avocados, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash, corn and green beans. Cucumber is another refreshing, healthy summer veggie. While I admit it isn't my favorite, I have found a recipe that I LOVE with cucumbers (and I bet you will, too!), which I will share with you today!  

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The Fats, Proteins & Carbs That Will Help You Reach A Healthy Weight

As a health coach, I'm constantly asked about the ideal amounts of carbs and protein for weight loss.

First, I think it's important to address that there is no magic formula because ultimately, everyone is unique, and I fully believe in the principle of bio-individuality.

That being said, I find some general things hold true for most people. When it comes to sustainable weight loss, balanced meals are key.

So while many people swear by no-carb, high-protein diets to lose weight, I have found that small amounts of carbs coming primarily from vegetables is very important and can aid in weight loss.

Healthy fats are also crucial for your health, will help keep you full, and can help you burn fat.

I usually suggest making half of your plate be vegetables (primarily low-starch), and the remaining can be divided between lean protein and healthy fats. But way more important than the percentage of carbs, protein, and fats is your SOURCE of these macronutrients!

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10 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

I am constantly meeting people that are struggling to lose weight despite eating healthy and working out. Last week I talked about how certain hormones are key to have at optimal levels in order to assist your weight loss. Today I wanted to talk about your METABOLISM, and how your diet and lifestyle choices can either boost or slow down your metabolism. Because ultimately, a strong metabolism helps you to burn more calories, balance blood sugar and regulate hormones, all of which affect your weight (and overall health!).

Unfortunately, as we get older, our metabolism is sadly impacted. However, there is still a lot you can do to boost your metabolism. It’s all about feeding the mitochondria in your cells, which are what burn calories and drive your metabolism.

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5 Hormones That Affect Your Weight Loss

I come across many people (women in particular) that feel they have tried everything to lose weight – they’re “eating healthy” and working out like crazy, but they get stuck. And frustrated. Because the scale won’t budge. 

They’re exercising intensely 5 days a week, they’re often skipping dinner to cut out calories, maybe even skipping breakfast on occasion, opting for just a coffee pre-workout, and having just a salad for lunch… but clearly the “calories in-calories out” is not working!

Does this sound like you?

The good news is, it’s not just you. There is a solution, which lies in BALANCING YOUR HORMONES. 

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5 Tips to Stay Healthy This Summer

It’s officially summer (for those of us in the northern hemisphere!) and I don’t know about you, but I’m excited for all my summer plans – both here in Miami, and a few trips abroad. But I admit that it’s always a challenge to stay healthy during the summer months. I just want to get a lot of sun (often a bit too much!), have some rose wine or cocktails by the pool, attend fun barbecues/beach parties, have friends over at my place, ETC., and it all adds up!

So of course, I have my mini plan of how to stay healthy this summer, and I’d love to share it with you!

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A Healthy Sunday Brunch

I’m lucky enough to have my dad with me this Sunday for Father’s Day, so I've decided to make a special brunch for him. It’s a win-win because he loves my healthy cooking, and I’ll be able to enjoy brunch with my dad while staying healthy, avoiding the heavy meals that I KNOW we would splurge on if we went out for brunch.

So as I prepare my Father’s Day brunch menu with some of my favorite healthy substitutions, I wanted to share my recipes with you. I know they will come in handy, whether it’s for this Father’s Day or for a fun Sunday brunch with friends... which are especially popular in the summer! You can enjoy some mimosas if you wish, but by keeping the food menu healthy (and based on home-cooked food) you’ll be saving yourself a lot of calories, belly-aches, and money!

Here is my HEALTHY BRUNCH MENU – all free of gluten, dairy, added sugars, and filled with nutrition (with options for vegan and non-gluten-free).

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What NOT to Feed Your Kids and Healthier Alternatives

It’s becoming increasingly difficult to keep children healthy with the poor food choices served at schools, the horrific ingredients included in “child-friendly” snacks, and the amount of marketing done specifically for kids (of these not-so-healthy foods!).

Children obesity has been increasing worldwide., and understandably, this is becoming a growing concern for all parents.

So let me share with you the key foods that I would avoid feeding your kids, and some healthier suggestions. While it may be impossible to control what they eat outside the house, making small changes at home can make a big difference. 

Here are 6 foods commonly eaten by kids that you should look out for (because they're probably worse than you think!), and some much healthier alternatives.

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How to Stay Safe in the Sun

One of my scariest recent discoveries is how harmful your conventional sunscreen can be. Everyone talks about the dangers of the sun, but hardly anyone knows that your sunscreen can also cause cancer! Crazy, right?

What makes sunscreen unsafe?

Here is a list of 7 things to watch out for in sunscreen:

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The Nutritious Seed You Never Thought of Eating

I think most of you know of my love-affair with avocados. I could eat them with every meal - they’re so delicious, versatile, and good for you. But what I never knew until recently is that the seed/pit of the avocado has a ton of health benefits as well.

Here are some of the known benefits of the Avocado Seed:

  • Helps ease digestive issues - avocado seeds are primarily known for their amazing ability to alleviate GI tract issues, ranging from gastric ulcers to constipation.
  • Full of antioxidants with anti-cancer properties – it’s estimated that 70% of the antioxidants in avocados are actually found in the seed! The seed contains phenolic compounds and flavonols, which help prevent/reduce tumor growth.
  • Fights inflammation - the high level of antioxidants (including catechins and procyandins) act as anti-inflammatory agents, reducing swelling/stiffness of joints, as well as improving blood circulation.
  • Boosts immunity – avocado seeds help reduce free radicals and prevent against bacterial and fungal infections.
  • Lowers cholesterol - avocados and their seeds are very rich in soluble fiber, which binds to excess fat and cholesterol, also improving heart function.
  • Helps fight cravings and burn fat – the high levels of soluble fat keeps you full and balances your blood sugar levels, which helps avoid that mid-afternoon sugar craving.

How do you eat the seed?

It’s actually fairly simple! 

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The Perfect Weekday Lunch – Macro Bowl

Macro Bowls are my favorite go-to lunch recipes. They're simple, easily customizeable, healthy yet filling enough to keep you energized throughout your afternoon.

Macro bowls are the definition of BALANCED meals; they’re called macro bowls because they include all major macro-nutrients: carbs, protein and fat. They usually consist of a base of whole grains, raw and/or cooked veggies, a protein of your choice and a healthy fat. The best thing is that you can really be creative with them and design to your liking. 

There are so many varieties, but I’ll run you through the basic steps so that you can start making your favorite version. 

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PROBIOTICS - WHAT THEY ARE AND WHY YOU NEED THEM

As a Health Coach, I often bring up the topic of PROBIOTICS with my clients, as I find that a large majority of people, especially those with signs of inflammation or digestive issues, could benefit massively from including more probiotics in their diet.

But I’ve come to realize that the knowledge about these good bugs is still not wide-spread; most people just associate them with yogurt. So I wanted to shed some light, as this topic is one that I personally feel very strongly about and have spent lots of time researching, for both myself and clients.

FIRST, WHAT ARE PROBIOTICS?

The word itself is a compound of two Greek words, ‘pro’ meaning “of’ and “biotic” meaning “life”, so essentially, the very definition of probiotics affirms life and health! But in very basic terms, probiotics are strains of “good bacteria” that support our native beneficial bacteria and help control the “bad bacteria” from getting out of control. You can get them from fermented foods or take them as a supplement.

Some examples of probiotic-rich foods include:

  • Yogurt (best to buy plain/unflavored and organic!)
  • Kefir
  • Sauerkraut
  • Kimchi
  • Miso
  • Tempeh
  • Kombucha tea

WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?

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POST-WORKOUT NUTRITION AND RECIPES

In last week's blog, I discussed optimal foods to eat before working out - but what about after?

Post-workout you need some healthy protein and a small amount of complex carbs to help your body restore energy, repair any micro-tears in your tissues after exercise, build muscle and increase your metabolism. Certain minerals and micro-nutrients such as potassium and fiber (found in bananas, avocados and coconut for ex.) are also hugely beneficial!

If you exercise after work, a snack might be unnecessary, but aim to have dinner within 30-45 minutes of working out, and don't forget your protein! If you want a light dinner (which I highly recommend if you're working out late), that can be as easy as adding some hemp seeds to your vegetable soup, or a very small serving of lentils or tuna to your green salad. 

 

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PRE-WORKOUT NUTRITION & RECIPES

Giving your body adequate fuel & nutrition before and after every workout is key for staying energized, building lean muscle, burning calories and losing weight, and for promoting a healthy recovery of your tissues.

Pre-workout, you want to focus on getting healthy complex carbs (such as veggies, fruits and whole grains) and healthy fats (such as nuts, seeds and avocado). When we eat carbs, our bodies store them in the muscles as glycogen, and as we exercise, we begin to deplete this glycogen – particularly in the first hour. Our bodies also metabolize fats and protein for energy, particularly in longer workouts, so including a little bit of vegetarian fat and/or protein is recommended. However, it’s important to make your pre-workout meal very light so it doesn’t weigh you down, and eat it at least 30-45 mins before starting your exercise.

WHAT IF YOU'RE WORKING OUT FIRST THING IN THE MORNING - SHOULD YOU STILL EAT? Unless it's just a light exercise like walking or gentle yoga, then yes, ideally you should eat something small. Working out while hungry can place stress on your body, activating your sympathetic nervous system, and can even make you lose muscle mass as your body will draw protein from your muscles for fuel. Just a small portion of 1 of my suggested pre-workout meals can do the trick.

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HOW ADDING COLOR TO YOUR PLATE CAN BOOST YOUR HEALTH & BEAUTY

Including different COLORS in your plate – coming primarily from nutritious vegetables and fruits - is an easy and fun way to maximize the nutritional benefits of your meals (and make them more visually appealing!). Eating a wide variety of colorful fruits and veggies will help to increase your immunity, strengthen your muscles and bones, slow down your aging, improve your skin, and more!

 

There are 5 main colors, and I suggest to have at least 3 colors present in each meal, ideally some green plus 2 other colors. And aim to have a bit of each color every day. This goes hand in hand with a recommendation that I give my clients, which is to include at least 2 different veggies (or fruits) in each meal. And every day, I suggest (generally speaking) having 5+ servings of veggies and 2 servings of fruit, always switching it up.

Here are the benefits of each color, and some healthy foods in each category:

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A Nutritious Way to Maximize Satisfaction & Avoid Cravings

As a Health Coach and true foodie, I like to place emphasis on eating a BALANCED diet with a wide variety of foods, and on the pleasure of eating nutritious food. It’s important not only to eat sufficient amounts of protein, healthy fats, healthy carbohydrates, and fiber, but also, to include a wide variety of TASTE and COLOR in each meal. This helps to increase our sense of satisfaction, and helps to avoid cravings after our meals.

As a Health Coach and true foodie, I like to place emphasis on eating a BALANCED diet with a wide variety of foods, and on the pleasure of eating nutritious food. It’s important to eat sufficient amounts of protein, healthy fats, healthy carbohydrates, and fiber, but also, to include a wide variety of TASTE and COLOR in each meal. 

I like to refer to the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda (Indian healing system), which says that there are six tastes - sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent - and including all six tastes in every meal ensures that all major food groups and nutrients are represented, and also provides us with the feeling of SATISFACTION when eating. 

Each taste has a "balancing" quality, and including some of each taste balances our appetite and digestion, and minimizes cravings.

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10 Natural Ways to Support Your Thyroid

They thyroid gland may be small, but it has an enormous impact on our body – affecting our metabolism, our internal temperature, mental clarity, and more. It’s also connected to your other hormones, so often times if you have any hormonal imbalance, the “missing link” to balancing your hormones is making sure you have a properly functioning thyroid.

So first, what are the signs that your thyroid could be under-active?

  • Cold hands and feet
  • Dry skin and scalp
  • Constipation
  • Constantly tired even after sleeping 8 hours a day
  • Trouble losing weight
  • Mood swings and/or you get easily stressed
  • Hormonal imbalances, including irregular or missing periods, strong PMS and cramping, low sex drive, and infertility
  • Brain fog, difficulty concentrating and/or poor memory
  • Slow heart rate
  • Hair loss

If you have symptoms of hypothyroidism, I suggest getting a full thryroid panel with your doctor (testing for Total T4, Free T4, Total T3, Free T3, Reverse T3, and Thyroid antibodies).

The good news is that there are lots of things (from nutrition to lifestyle) that can help a lot. 

Here are 10 things you can start doing now to improve your under-active thyroid:

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Intermittent Fasting for Health and Weight Loss

Based on my research and experience, I find that some degree of intermittent fasting can be highly beneficial to almost anyone. And I don’t mean fasting for 24 hours every week; I’m referring to a small degree of fasting, such as allowing a 12-16 hour break between dinner and breakfast.

I personally have suffered from both digestive and hormonal issues, but feel my best when I practice daily intermittent fasting, allowing 12 hours between dinner and breakfast. And about once a week, I may allow for 16 hours between meals.

Why is this so great for me (and most people)?

The key idea is that fasting gives your body a rest from digestion and allows your body to fully assimilate nutrients, getting rid of what it doesn’t need, and concentrate on healing.

Some benefits include:

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4 Food-Pairing Rules To Radically Improve Digestion

Making sure to eat in a way that supports your gut and optimal digestion is key for both long-term health and sustainable weight loss. A few of the things that help to keep a healthy gut include eating lots of prebiotic- and probiotic-rich foods; cutting out refined starches, excess sugar, and processed foods; as well as proper food combining.

Food combining emphasizes the importance of eating certain foods simultaneously for efficient, optimal digestion and avoiding certain foods that, when paired together, are difficult for our bodies to properly process.

Improper food combinations can leave undigested food in the digestive track, creating symptoms such as bloating, gas, fatigue, and ultimately leading to a buildup of toxicity.

Paying attention to food combining is extremely helpful for staying healthy, feeling vibrant, and losing weight.

Here's my simplified list of the food combining "rules”:

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12 Tips to Overcome Insomnia

Are you having trouble falling asleep or wake up in the night and can’t fall back asleep?

You’re not alone! It’s a common problem, but the good news is, it can be helped with a few diet and lifestyle tweaks, and may not require popping meds.

You need to focus on changing your eating and lifestyle habits to nourish your adrenals, reduce stress and promote proper melatonin and cortisol balance. 

Here are 12 tips:

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Why Sleep Is Important For Weight Loss

...On my personal journey to health, I have come to realize how important sleep is for my digestion, thyroid, adrenals, and stable weight. So I now ALWAYS prioritize my 8-9 hours of sleep. I aim to go to sleep by a certain hour each day, but if I don’t, I’m no longer waking up at the crack of dawn to exercise before work.

We need sleep for MANY key functions, such as keeping a strong immune system, feeling strong, awake and focused the next day, avoiding hormonal imbalances, and restoring all our bodily functions. But ALSO, regular sleep is a key factor for obtaining and maintaining a healthy weight. Sustainable weight loss is that much harder (I’d argue almost impossible) without proper sleep!

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