Sync up with the SEASON

I sat in bed Sunday morning drinking tea, reading, and savoring the coziness of my down comforter.  

I made soup.

I took a long walk in the woods to see the brilliant trees changing to vibrant oranges and reds.

I adore AUTUMN.

You may feel the desire to pull inwards and reflect, rest, and restore a bit more as well.

You may have noticed that urge for more warming fall foods to nourish your body as well.

Now that another fall season is upon us, you may feel ready to let go, forgive, and heal as you watch the leaves fall to the ground yet again.

All of these intuitive knowings are exactly why SYNCHING up with the SEASON is a brilliant practice.  When we SYNC up with nature we also maximize our MOJO.

Our life force lights up.

Each season in Traditional Chinese Medicine is linked to a specific energy, organ, color, sense and element.

Fall is the season of downward and inward energy, lungs and large intestine, letting go of sadness and grief, the metal element, our sense of smell, and the color white.

As we descend this fall, we have the opportunity to both let go and purify physically and energetically for the rest of the season to bring us more vibrant health and radiance.

The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let the dead things go.

Here are my favorite 5 HEALTH HABITS to SYNC up with the SEASON to make a magnificent impact on your health, harmony and happiness.

Warm

Keep you lungs and chest warm (and the rest of your body). You can try:

Warming foods: Foods that are slow cooked, root veggies that carry the downward and inward energy such as ginger, onion, leak, garlic and beats.

Herbal Teas: Many herbal teas are good for their lung support, immunity and warming qualities. (ginger, nettles, cinnamon spice, chai, osha root, spiced mate, or mullein)

Essential oils:  Oils are great to use during the fall season. You can difuse the oils, use topically, or even in your cooking: Frankinsence, vitiver, cedarwood, sage, fennel, or oregano oil

Wear Warm clothing: To insulate and nourish the lungs we must be warm. Even if the weather is warmer than an average fall day, stay attentive to the season, the cooler nights, and the need to take deep care with warming up the core.  Your immune system will thank you.

Breathe

As I mentioned, fall is known as the season associated with the lungs in Chinese medicine. It is often a time when children come home from school with upper respiratory coughs and weakness as the weather changes. It is important to strengthen the lungs in the fall. This can be done in a variety of ways but here are a few of my favorites:

Make sure you and your family exercise regularly. Pump the lungs often so they are strong and cleansed with rigorous life-giving breath.

Many foods in the fall are known to support the lungs. Root vegetables such as onions, leeks, and ginger are supportive to the lungs. Fruits such as apples and pears care for the lung tissue as well. Eating with the season is the perfect way to maintain healthy lungs.

Detox

The season of fall is the perfect time to gently detoxify and cleanse our bodies, our homes and our minds.

We all come across toxicity each day in our foods, in our environment, and with our daily stresses.

When we cleanse our body, you strengthen your immune system for a healthier fall and winter season.  (Check out the Fall seasonal SYNC up here)

When we cleanse our homes and our environment by cleaning with natural cleaners, letting go of old clutter and creating a sacred space in our home, we have the perfect place to rest and restore as the season often pulls us to spending more time at home resting and restoring.

When we cleanse our minds through meditation and mindfulness practices, we create a healthier and more calm relationship to daily stressors that can throw us off balance. We deepen our connection to ourselves, and we stay more centered in our lives.

Ground

As you watch the leaves falling from the trees and becoming the earth‘s nutrients for next year’s planting, it becomes obvious that fall has an energy that flows downward and inward (as opposed the upward and outward energetics in the spring). What are the aspects of your life that ground you? Make a list and practice these grounding activities regularly in the fall.

It is a nice time to take long walks in the colorful forest and feel the leaves crunching under your feet. Consider collecting nuts, pinecones and fall treasures for an altar or a fairy garden with your children. These small autumn rituals and habits help us harmonize ourselves with autumn. It is natural to sleep more, rest more and begin to turn inward towards introspection and healing.

Gratitude

Lush sunflowers, tucked in with the plump orange pumpkins, are an abundance to celebrate. The colors, foods and celebrations of fall are profuse. Feel gratitude for the beauty of the harvest. Set a seasonal outdoor table rich with a cornucopia of color and nature’s gifts to warm the heart for any celebration. Share a gratitude blessing before your meals, as it promotes health and happiness.

Light a bonfire to take away the chill of the evening and join in a circle of friends celebrating fall in its glory.

Take it in! The abundance is around you and within you. Your only job is to notice and appreciate its radiance.  Remember all you need exists within. You are the strength, you are the love.

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Want to take your FALL practices a little deeper?

 Check out the FALL COZY Seasonal Sync up (Local or Remote)

If you want to join our group, we start October 12th (introduction October 11th). If you are ready to begin on your own, just let me know, we have you covered.

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FALL COZY Breakfast Breakthroughs

Good Morning Sunshine.

If you have been a Boulder Nutrition reader for a while, you probably already know how I feel about breakfast.

This summer I published a summertime breakfast blog called Breakfast Bliss and Blood Sugar that became the most read blog in the history of Boulder Nutrition. I am so glad you all liked it!

What I am really interested in is WHY? 

I have a good hypothesis as to WHY for you today, and an even more exciting breakfast menu for you to explore this fall.

Listen, I would be surprised if your mornings are totally serene, peaceful, and quiet.

I know some of you are the exception and have your morning routine down, but if you are like most of us, mornings can be hectic, scattered, and rushed .I have focused my attention on my morning routine for years.

As I have shared before, the mornings when I am on my game I am good at giving myself at least 30 minutes to rise and shine before my kids, to have some time to meditate, practice, and nourish myself well.

I have found mindful mornings tend to make ALL the difference.

The truth is, sometimes it just doesn't go that way.  Did you forget you were out of milk?  Push the alarm one extra time? Have a teenager whose hair just wasn't working out? Or forget about that extra stop  you have to make for gas on the way to work or school?  All it takes is something small to throw our mornings into a tail spin.

Can you relate?

These reasons (plus many more) might be why breakfast is the most challenging, rushed and stressful meal of the day.

So with the idea of giving you more of what you seem to really like reading, here are my 5 favorite FALL COZY breakfasts to settle into this fall.

Each of these breakfasts have a little flavor of the weather changing, fall seasonal energetics, and of course you can trust me to keep the glycemic index LOW and your blood sugar BALANCE and BLISS in mind.

Quinoa Apple Pie Bowl

Health Nugget:  What I love most about quinoa (pronounced KEEN WOA) is that it is a complete protein and the highest protein content of any grain.  It is also known to dry up dampness in the body according to TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine).  What does that mean?  Well, dampness is like a code word for inflammation or phlegm.  The less we have of this during the fall season - the season with the most coughs and colds - the better.

1 Cup Cooked Quinoa (easiest if cooked ahead of time for morning efficiency)

1 Steamed apple warmed with cinnamon

1 Tsp butter or coconut oil

1/4 cup pecans

Pinch of sea salt

1 tsp maple syrup or raw honey (optional)

Toss all ingredients in a bowl and enjoy.

Chai Chia smoothie

Health Nugget: Smoothies are one of my favorite ways to pack your breakfast of all the food groups and super foods you want to add to your breakfast.  Smoothies are also easy to transport to your office.  My favorite feature in this smoothie is that it is not frozen but rather warming as the weather changes those brisker fall mornings.  The warm chai tea and warming spices are perfect to synch up with the fall season.

2-3 leaves of romaine lettuce

1 TBSP Chia seeds

1 fleshy fruit of choice (i.e. 1/2 banana)

6-8 cups Herbal Spice Chai tea (warm)

Vanilla protein powder or raw egg

1 T chopped ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom (optional)

1 T fresh grated ginger

Place ingredients in the blender and mix well.

Paleo Zucchini Muffins

Health Nugget:  These high protein muffins, disguised as a carb, are a quick and easy breakfast for on the go mornings.  Spread with some organic butter or almond butter for another boost in good protein and fat and you will notice that your energy is even keeled all day.  Pack all of that nutrient dense zucchini in there and get an extra couple servings of veggies.  Prepare them ahead of time, freeze if you like, and enjoy.

1 cup of garden fresh zucchini

3 organic eggs

1 1/2 cups almond flower

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1/2 organic chocolate chips (optional)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup raw honey or coconut sugar

Mix ingredients and bake at 375 for about 45 min or until golden brown.

Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

Health Nugget: These pancakes are a great way to get a sweet breakfast without sacrificing your blood sugar in the process.  Adding in the scoop of protein powder is a trick I have been using with my kids for years to ensure pancake breakfasts still include a healthy dose of protein.  Along with the yummy seasonal pumpkin, a great source of vitamin A and beta carotene, full of fiber, and potent antioxidants, these make for a great fall breakfast.

2 cups gluten free pancake mix

2 scoops vanilla protein powder

2 organic eggs

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 Tbsp coconut oil

1 1/2 cups liquid (milk, almond milk, coconut milk or water)

pinch of salt

1 TBSP maple syrup (for top)

Mix together ingredients and fry up in your ideal pancake size in a cast iron pan until golden brown.  Top with organic butter and maple syrup.

Caprese Scramble

Health Nugget:  Organic eggs are chock full of the amino acid, tryptophan, which is a key player in a good mood and inner calm.  The protein in eggs is one that will not only satiate your blood sugar due to its delicate balance of protein and fat, but will also keep you feeling brighter and cheerier all day long.

1 small organic tomato

1 3-5 basil leaves chopped fine

3-4 slices of raw mozzarella cheese

2-3 organic eggs

Pinch of salt

Saute the tomato and basil in a pan in butter or olive oil.  Stir in the eggs to scramble.  Toss in raw mozzarella at the end until it begins to melt slightly.  Serve up.

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Want to take your FALL practices a little deeper?

Check out the FALL COZY Cleanse Program (Local or Remote)

If you want to join our group, we start October 12th (introduction October 11th). If you are ready to begin, you can start anytime you are ready.

Check out the details HERE

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Crazy for Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has become all the rage.  I am sure you have seen, read, or even dove into your own jar of coconut oil by now.There is a lot of press promising you elaborate healing with this divine substance, so I am going to name just a few that I find to be TRUE.

My jars of coconut oil have multiple locations around my house - in the kitchen, in the bathroom and beside my bed (ooh la la)

While the dry weather of fall (in Colorado for sure) comes with the need for a little beauty and skin attention, there are many brilliant and simple uses for this super food that I want to share with you that you can use all year long. 

First, before we get to the miracle makings of my favorite of natures remedies, I want to be sure we clarify just a bit on the confuse about coconut oil:

• YES, coconut oil is a saturated fat.  Studies now have shown that our bodies need saturated fat to burn fat, to keep our metabolism strong, and to keep our blood sugar balanced.

• Although coconut oil is all the rage, coconut oil is nothing new.  Coconut oil has been used for centuries in tropical climates in a variety of health remedies, foods, and skin care. This age old super food has a health history far and beyond most trendy health foods.

•  There are plenty of studies on coconut oil in native populations showing that this saturated fat has never been proven to cause heart disease. Sadly, the heart disease myth that has been around a long time and still persists today, even though it is scientifically proven to be untrue! You can trust coconut oil for your health.

Let's get onto the captivating coconut concoctions next and explore how you can enhance your health, and a few other goodies that you don't want to miss.

 

7 Crazy Cool Uses for Coconut Oil (I like number 5 the best)

1. Cooking

Cooking with coconut oil is safe, nutrient rich and tasty. Coconut oil is a saturated fat, making it very stable to light and heat. Use coconut oil in your sauté, stir fry or baking.

Additionally, coconut oil consists almost entirely of medium chain fatty acids.  These fatty acids go straight from the digestive tract to the liver, where they are likely to be turned into ketone bodies and provide a quick source of energy.

2. Skin Care

Coconut oil has many health benefits when used on the outside of the body as well. Known for it skin repair qualities, as well as its perfectly balanced PH naturally, coconut oil is a wonderful addition to your skin care regiment.

High in both vitamin E and medium chain fatty acids, your skin will thank you for the moisture, softenss and long term wrinkle control. I use coconut oil regularly on my skin especially during the warmer and dryer months of the year.

3. Smoothies

Put a dollup of coconut oil right into your morning smoothie, and you will notice your blood sugar remain stable for longer, a boost in your energy, and a nice smooth texture and flavor. If you have a blood sugar related health issue such as hypoglyciema, diabetes, PCOS, or acid reflux, coconut oil might be just the right addition to your morning smoothie.

Coconut oil in your breakfast is a great way to increase brain function, minimize sugar cravings, and keep your digestion healthy and strong.

4. Oil Pulling

 Oil pulling is an age-old remedy that uses natural substances to clean and detoxify teeth and gums. It has the added effect of whitening teeth naturally and evidence even shows that it is beneficial in improving gums and removing harmful bacteria!

For now take about 1-2 tsp on a spoon and place into mouth. Swish for about 20 min. You will want to find something to occupy you like a meditation, folding some laundry or getting dressed. After about 20 min, spit oil into the sink ridding your mouth of toxins and bacteria. ** DO NOT SWALLOW.

5. Sensual Massage and lubrication

YES! Coconut oil is great for your YONI ...and beyond. Coconut oil is by far the most natural, the most effective, and the most safe for lubrication and we know how good it is for your skin.

Keep a jar on your night stand for sensual massage, lubrication, tasty fun and delights to the senses. Bonus: because coconut oil is also an antibacterial remedy, you will find it helps with candida, yeast infections and other bothersome imbalances in the body.

6. Coffee it up!

I was never much of a coffee drinker, because coffee would  mess up my blood sugar and leave me feeling wired, hyper and slightly ADD. The recent trend of bullet proof coffee (adding butter and coconut oil to your coffee + a few other goodies) has made my weekend coffee ritual very exciting.

Adding coconut oil to your coffee (or tea) will sustain your blood sugar and your energy much more effectively, while also boosting up the nutrient density of your favorite morning beverage.

7. Wound Healing

Coconut oil is known to effectively support wound healing due to its medicinal antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, moisturizing and healing properties. Coconut oil can also keep infections at bay and prevent scarring with its perfectly balanced and moisturizing qualities.

Be sure to clean the would thoroughly first.

• Apply coconut oil on the wounded area.
• Place a eco friendly bandage over it to seal in the moisture.
• Reapply coconut oil 2-3 times per day.
• Follow this regiment for several days to prevent scarring and encourage healing.

Get Your Spring Fever ON

As we emerge from the winter months, we wake up to the early morning sunlight returning and the smell of blooming flowers poking their heads through to warming earth.

Given the energetics of spring we often feel the urge to cleanse our lives, our bodies, and our beings for a clearer and energized new season of living life to the fullest.

As you read through the following tips, take a moment to ponder what needs cleansing in your life.  What do you seek to shed this spring to “lighten” up and access the inner freedom we all yearn for?

So often when we think of cleansing, we see visions of ancient yogi’s fasting, or modern health food junkies checking out the newest cleansing trends.

Don't fret, this year let's clean out and cleanse what is not serving us in our lives.  Let us use the energy of the season of spring to enhance the journey to more radiance and vitality from the inside out.

Your Spring Sparkle comes from a combination of so many components, some of which include of your inner health, your thoughts, how you move your body each day, and your sacred space or home.

1.  Body Bliss

Can you access the bliss your physical body is designed to feel?  When you wake up each day are you ready to conquer your life with energy and vitality?  If you feel like many people do these days, a little tired, a little sluggish try these health secrets to enhance your energy.

Eat with the season – As the leafy greens spring up, and the dandelions fill your yard, try finding some ways to cleanse your diet with some of natures spring gifts.

In the spring we are designed to eat lighter, darker and leafier greens, and oh those dandelions do wonders for cleansing the liver. (be sure they are pesticide free before you eat, or buy at your local health food store)

Juice – Juicing daily blesses the body with a huge amount of extra nutrients that are easily absorbed.  As you pulverize and strain those veggies in the juicer, you do a huge favor to your digestion. You pour liquid nutrients into your system for a fountain of amazing energy and purification.

Reset your energy with a Whole Food lifestyle – This spring try to eat only WHOLE FOODS for one whole week.  Whole food eating means eating food found in its whole form.  Avoid processed foods, refined carbohydrates and foods that have an ingredient list.

2.  Flip your Script

If you are someone who hears your own self-critic loud and clear all day long, full of shame, blame and self sabotage…it is time to “clean” up your self-talk.  Flipping your script means giving your that common mental script an overhaul.  What are the most common thoughts that bring you down?  Are they about your body, your past decisions, your bad habits?

Whenever you hear the negative thoughts try to take note, then flip them around in to a positive affirmation as often as you can to practice unconditional happiness and self-love.

3.  Move it and Shake it

One of most effective ways to your energize your life is through daily movement.  How is your MOJO?  Practices such as YOGA, BRISK WALKING/HIKING and DANCE can move energy in big ways.  Get yourself out of inertia this spring and MOVE IT SHAKE IT GROOVE IT.  Enliven your spirit and up your MOJO with some juicy movement of your own.

Take walk in the beautiful spring air,  inspire yourself with your favorite yoga teacher or make yourself a new playlist to inspire your daily run. Learn to feel good in your body through movement you love.

4.  Clear out your Space

Spring-cleaning is not a made up phenomenon.  We naturally cleanse during the spring season because it feels so therapeutic to climb out of the winter hibernation into a fresh and clear environment.

Getting rid of the old and making room for the new is an important energizer for your space and your experience this spring.

But in addition to aesthetics, there are proven health reasons for steam-cleaning carpets, airing out curtains and the like noting that the benefits include preventing the spread of germs and keeping allergy symptoms at bay.

Clearing out clutter also helps make your environment a happier as well as a healthier place.  For a little spring cleaning joy, add some essential oils to your eco-friendly cleaning supplies.  Try rearranging and reorganize your sacred space.

You are off to a great start for some revitalization and renewal this year.  Spring is always an exciting time to start anew, plant our seeds of intention and watch, tend, and nurture them as the season unfolds.  Let’s make it a beauty!  Happy Spring.

It is the time for revitalization and renewal.  Spring is always an exciting time to start anew, plant our seeds of intention and watch, tend, and nurture them as the season unfolds.  Let’s make it a beauty.

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Harvest Time

I love this time of year!  As we notice the hot days cool off, the winds change and the leaves beginning to rustle beneath our feet we begin to root down and pull inward.  This inward and downward movement comes with more cozy nights, more time to reflect and more time to notice the warm aromas coming from everyones crock pots, as we fully endulge in the abundance of natures harvest time.   This year we are blessed with an incredible harvest.

As we enter the fall season, we encounter many changes in the weather, in our bodies, and in our lives.  Fall is a time for letting go, and for shedding unwanted layers that do not serve our greater purpose.  Cleansing is an incredibly beneficial way to release layers, both physically and emotionally, by detoxifying harmful toxins, resetting the digestive tract, increasing energy and vitality and connecting to natures organic rythms of the harvest.

Fall is the time to purify the lungs in the traditional Chinese medicine system.  This years Fall Harvest Cleanse is designed to work with the season, as we dive deep into tonifying the lung chi and increasing immunity for the winter.  The lungs are a vital elimination organ, as they facilitate the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the blood, which is then carried through the cells to be used as fuel.

With fall being the time of the harvest, we incorporate warming seasonal foods, recipes, menu plans, lung tonics, and yogic lung strengthening breathing into our program.  Some of the most extraordinary benefits of fall lung cleansing include increased lung chi and strength, deeper sleep, increased immunity, increased energy, radiant skin, a grounded mind and heart, and overall holistic fortitude for the whole being.  For more information and registration, visit please contact sue@bouldernutrition.com.