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.

7 THINGS I HAVE LEARNED ON RETREAT

7 THINGS I HAVE LEARNED ON RETREAT

I have been leading health and yoga retreats for 9 years now.

Over the years, retreating has become a HUGE part of my personal medicine and my business model.

 

I have traveled far and wide to corners of the world leading women internationally, and also stayed right here in this beautiful state of Colorado loving the shorter weekends away or day retreats for a sweet reprieve.

Each and every time I go on retreat, I experience shifts, breakthroughs and insights that are life changing.  It is not only energetic and soothing, but tangible how things unfold in my life for the long term.

Within the business of life, and the fullness most of us experience in our day-to-day, it is necessary to find ways to fill up our cup, to replenish and restore, and to listen intently to our wise selves. Time to ourselves is more than just fluff , it is imperative to keeping our personal success and balance in sync..

I wanted to share with you some of my greatest "aha" moments and retreat gems from over the years.

1. Surrender

Each time I have ventured into retreat, with or without the guilt of leaving my kids at home, my business to survive without me for a couple of weeks, or my repetitive self doubting question: “can I really pull this off?”, I am left with the opportunity to let go and surrender to what ever arises.

Even amidst missing my children or worrying about my absence from my daily life, I have come to the understanding that all of this inner hoopla and self talk needs to also take a break. The stories I tell my self about what I deserve and the unnecessary need to be needed back at home are just like hooks to grab my monkey mind so it can run amuck.

Each time I retreat, it takes me a little bit of time to settle in and drop in. It is a big shift to go from doing all the time, hearing each ring, text and email come into my field, and filling up the days with tasks that seem to never end.

In the deepest surrender, I have found a love affair with myself, and my own value in taking care and filling up my cup so I can return a renewed woman with a lot more to give back.

2. Perspective

There is nothing like taking myself out of the smaller “worms eye view” and into the larger “eagle eye view” for a shift of perspective. I notice that I get so bogged down with automatic behaviors and thoughts when I am busy in my daily life, so getting out of dodge is actually therapeutic for a renewed experience.

Seeing what is working or not working in our lives is much easier when we are not “in it”. When I am on retreat, I take quite a bit of time for personal inquiry, journaling, meditation, long solo walks for contemplation etc. These time are just precious for seeing what I need to improve, align or shift. This is not about being right, wrong, or adding in more shame, but rather about seeing things from a more alive and expansive view.

3. Connection

Being with a group of women who have come together with a common purpose adds potency to anything we do. I have experienced this in women’s circles, friendship support networks, and retreats many times. I have also witnessed the beautiful and magical weaving together of other women and their continued connection that tends to go on for a lifetime, thanks now to social media and online ways of staying connected.

One thing we often overlook is our deep desire for connection. It is primal, and primary and it is why we are here. Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives. In order for connection to happen we have to allow ourselves to be seen. This takes some practice, some trust and the sacredness of a group of women with similar intentions.

Feeling the support of a group of women is a wonderful blessing that we all deserve to feel.

4. Devotion

There is a strong sense of dedication and devotion that has become a wonderful tool for me through retreats, having time for deep spiritual practice and the fullness of self-love and self-care. Some could consider this devotion to oneself, enough to take the extra time and resources to even go on retreat. Others may consider this devotion to a higher energy or universal force greater than oneself. For me it is a pretty dynamic union of the two. Devotion, commitment and diligence are very powerful qualities when one is moving towards a goal, a desire, or an intention in any area of life.

Cultivating devotion on retreat is one of my favorite aspects of having some space to focus on myself.

5.  Intuition

When I take time for myself and spend time listening inward every day 2 things happen.   First, I notice that I get spontaneous thoughts or movements of creativity that will guide me to what is next in my life plan. For example, I will see a solution to getting stuck in my relationships, or how to improve a situation in my business with creativity and innovation. I call these “downloads”.  Second, I notice I become more highly attuned to how things impact me or make me feel.

This intuitive refinement and practice is a tool that I can tangibly practice at home in my daily life. It has grown over the years to heighten my connection to myself, to my health, and to my emotional body. I find it to be incredibly valuable.

6. Empowerment

For me empowerment is the ability and awareness to make a conscious choice that has a positive outcome in my life rather than an automatic choice that may not.  Retreats have shown me specifically where I have my power and where I can build up my strength, my desire, and my personal lust for life so that I am able to find my power in different areas of life that are in need.

For me, being out of my normal comfort and familiarity of daily life offers me the ability to practice being in my power in a safe environment, to reflect on what is the truth in a situation, and to begin to practice finding my way back home to myself.

 7. Resourcing

Each time I retreat, I am shown, taught, and reminded of a plethora of resources I can use back at home to  "take the retreat home with me."  Over the years this has helped me build up quite a tool box of ways to manage stress, confusion, and heartbreak.

Many of the resources I teach now, have also guided women I know into a personal  revolution within themselves to breakthrough old ways of being that no longer serve them in there lives.  I see the before and after affect of retreat in this particular way and I hear so often.... "how things are so different since Bali".

I know once we can slow down, go inward, share, feel support and love, and give back to ourselves, we can make a shift that counts in our lives, our health and our overall wellbeing and happiness.

Calling Aphrodite

5 Springtime Aphrodisiacs to Master your MOJO

Aphrodite, known as the Greek Goddess of love, pleasure, sensuality and beauty, is one of my favorite of the Goddesses to invoke. Can you see why?

In the stories of Aphrodite, she has the magical ability to compel anyone to desire her.

Aphrodite is said to be born from the foam of the sea. She is revered, cherished, and known for her sensual allure, her delicate beauty and her ability to activate the sensuality of her lovers. This spring you too can invoke her into your pleasure practices, and into the art of sensual eating so that you can explore a more mystical in your body and your bliss.

The sensual art of eating is a journey deep into your relationship with your own sensuality, pleasure stimuli through the senses, and a celebration of food and sensuality that has been present in cultures far and wide throughout history. Sensuality happens with cooking, preparing, presenting and opening are hearts through our meals, just as it does when we prepare, adorn ourselves and wake up our senses to make love to our beloved. This art is as delicate, smooth, succulent and artistic as a love poem or as crazy and free as an artist’s eccentric expression.

The sensual art of eating combines our love for ourselves and those we cook for along with our inseparable senses, especially smell and taste.

Let’s start with the olfactory orgasm…

It is said the olfactory sense, our sense of smell is our oldest sense from the viewpoint of evolution. Our sense of smell creates strong memories with its powerful, swift and precise presence. The sense of smell is more developed in a woman than it is in a man. Our sense of smell is deeply connected to our sensual relationship to food, to a woman's eroticism, and to our intuition. Just as we can be enticed by the smell of our lover, we can be excited by the lure of fresh prepared foods, conscious cooking and the throb of desire and erotism that food can evoke in us as woman and as Goddess. It is not unusual for a mouth watering dish to evoke nostalgia and pleasure waking up our emotions and creating a spiritual + sensual experience with our food.

On to our TANTALIZING taste buds…

It is said in the world of senses, taste is the QUEEN. It is a pleasure, but also a protection that can tell the difference between what's good to eat and what could be harmful. The taste buds activate relating to 5 different flavors, according to Chinese Medicine: Sweet, Salty, Bitter, Sour and Pungent. Each flavor represents a different quality of emotion and energy that we can use to balance ourselves out and heighten our experience around taste. UMAMI is the ultimate taste sensation that brings us the most tantalizing taste experience in just one bite. It is most like a food orgasm that activates all 5 tastes and increases pleasure exponentially. APHRODISIACS

An aphrodisiac is a substance known to increase sexual desire and sexual pleasure. The word APHRODISIAC throughout history has pertained to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, passion and pleasure. There have been many foods considered aphrodisiacs throughout time, and the thing that they all have in common is that they ALL fully engage the senses. Aphrodisiacs are sensual foods create a heightened pleasure experience related both to eating and to our own sensuality. We can make love to ourselves through our food, and we can use food as foreplay for ourselves or with our beloved, a practice written about for centuries in almost every culture known to humankind. 5 SPRINGTIME Aphrodisiacs For you to EXPLORE

Asparagus

This lily plant derivative is known to stir up lust for both woman and man. They are known to boost histamine production known to boost orgasm in both male and female.

Watermelon

Known as natures VIAGRA due to 2 compounds. First watermelon has high levels of citrulline (found in highest concentration in the white of the melon rind) has the power to dilate blood vessels and support erection in a man. Second, the high amounts of lycopene are known to balance and support a healthy prostate. This may be the perfect sensual fruit to entice your lover

Maca

This peruvian wonder has proven to have a number of health benefits. Some of these include increasing energy and stamina, balancing hormones for both PMS and menopause, repairing adrenal function and enhancing sexual function and libido. Ooh la la! Maca is available in a powdered form and can be added to smoothies or yogurt, or you can buy maca in a capsule to take a more concentrated dosage.

Artichoke

The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that artichokes had such a strong aphrodisiac effect that women were prohibited from eating them as they were said to make women more desirable.

Chocolate

The aphrodisiac quality of chocolate is nothing new…but rather something that is embedded in history of the western civilization. The great Aztec ruler Montezuma, one of the first red hot lovers to tap into chocolate’s strengths, was said to have consumed as much as fifty cups of chocolate elixir before heading off to his harem. In the late 20th century it was proven that the phenylethylamine (PEA) in chocolate releases the same hormone as does sexual intercourse. The compounds in chocolate are also known to raise dopamine and seratonin levels offering energy, mood enhancement and pleasure to the body.

Eat for the SEASON not the DAY

Is WINTER faking you out? This morning I was driving my son to school on the icy roads and he said:

"Sheesh, really Boulder? "

These crazy weather patterns we experience here in Boulder are a little hard on the system and hard to predict at this time of year.

One day it is springy and warm and I feel my spring fever bubbling up, and the next we are shoveling 2 feet of snow off of our driveway and I am back in hibernation mode.

Even though my son was born and raised here in Colorado, it still boggles his mind to witness the Colorado weather patterns.  

It is a confusing time of year for the body and immune system and so many people have been struggling with cold and flu this year.

There is a saying in Chinese Medicine that says:

"Dress for the season, not the day."

I have adopted this moto and added my own little spin:

"Eat for the season, not the day."

It is still winter for most of us, and although I am excited about the upcoming spring season and enjoying the occasional warmer day, it is still helpful to stay warm and well nourished for the remaining days of winter.

February and March are often the months with the most irratic weather.  Our bodies are going through a lot to keep ourselves strong and healthy.

We have to be sure to stay AHEAD of the weather.

How you may ask?

When we stay in the season with our eating, our self care, body care, we will naturally be more attuned to the season, and strengthen our immune systems for this final push of winter.

Want a few immune boosting tips?

Keep reading...

Just tired of Winter?  

Come with us on a goddess journey to Bali.  We have a few spots left. Click here for details.

Winter Immunity Insights

1.  Stay warm.

Keep your kidneys and bladder warm (and the rest of your body as well).  You can use warming foods, teas, topical essential oils, sesame oil, and warm clothing to insulate and nourish the your core.  Scarves are a nice addition to protect the windgate – the space at the back of your neck – where pathogens can enter.

Even if the weather is warmer than an average winter day, which often happens in my home state COLORADO, be sure to “DRESS FOR THE SEASON, NOT THE DAY”.   Stay insulated to keep the immunity strong.

2.  Oil of Oregano

Are you fighting the common winter cold, or flu this winter?  Oil of Oregano is one of my favorite treatments for both immune boosting and anti-bacterial and anti-viral support.

Did you know just a few drops of Oregano Oil in the diffuser or vaporizer can give you some relief?

Even better – add a few drops to your cooking and enjoy the delicious flavor and immune boosting qualities with your dinner.

Because this potent oil is so strong, make sure you dilute it substantially or take it in a protective capsule.  With my big pot of homemade chicken soup I only use 2 drops…3 is too many, and too strong.  (See recipe below)

(avoid if you are pregnant, or breastfeeding or an infant)

3.  Ritual Baths

There are many many benefits to baths at this time of year.  Aside from the warming and relaxing qualities there are also deeper support from certain types of baths.  You can always resort to the simple Epson salts bath if you like, but here I am going to provide you with some specific and unique baths to use to synch up with winter – mind, body and soul.

• Add a teaspoon of coconut oil for a warm and insulating
• Add some chunks of fresh ginger.  Ginger is a natural immune booster and when you soak in a ginger tea bath you absorb the ginger and allow the body to purify and release the pathogens.  Stay warm and get right in bed after.
• Feeling a little down in the cold days of winter?  Sweeten up your mood with a "sweet like honey" bath.  Add a cup of raw honey to your bath and watch your seasonal funk slip away.  Honey baths remind us of the sweetness of life.

Tired, Stressed, Overwhelmed?

 5 Simple Steps to Bringing Back YOUR  Balance.

Yes, it is true.  Yes to all of the above.  I know these feelings inside and out.

It can happen so easily with just one little thing that throws me off balance, or it can just BE the way I see everything about life sometimes.

Busy, Stressed, Overwhelmed used to be my middle name.

I feel it, I know it well and boy does it know me.

Back in the day, when my kids wee little tikes, I was still figuring out single parenting and my business was just launching (2003) - I was ALWAYS overwhelmed.

Not only was I overwhelmed in my life, but I am pretty sure I talked about, complained about, and lived OVERWHELM in every part of my being.

Looking back, I was complaining about this, crying about this, and wishing things were different for quite some time.  I was a mess.

I was constantly juggling 2 small kids, child care, logistics, making food, cleaning up the constant mess, and trying desperately to take care of myself while still giving everything else I had to my business and my vision.

Why am I telling you this?

Well, the one thing I know is that if I can find balance, so can you.

It is not always easy, and sometimes I had to truly dig deep, cry it out and ask for help (not easy for me), but taking care of ourselves, feeding ourselves (and our families) and fitting in the things that make life flow a little smoother are totally possible, even if you can't imagine how.

Today I am going to share with you just a few things I learned (the hard way) so that you can find your own balance, radiance, health and ease in this life - with maybe less bumps in the road then I had.

In fact, what I truly want for you is GRACE, HARMONY and JOY in your life especially in your relationship with food and your body so that you have the energy and passion to share all the gifts you have in all aspects of your life.

I am going to spend my next 5 posts diving into each one of these in depth, BUT for now a little sneak preview of what is coming and what works.  If you need more info, just simply stay tuned and by the end of the next 5 weeks, you will be feeling inspired and ready to conquer your life with a fresh perspective.

 

1.  Create your DREAM calendar.  Now this is NOT a calendar that will SOMEDAY be yours - like a dream house. This IS a calendar that reflects what you want RIGHT NOW.  Include your intentions, your work schedule, your self care, all into your ideal week.

I do this every season.  I change some things based on the weather, my kids schedule and what I am currently working on.

THIS is the NUMBER 1 thing that took me out of everyday OVERWHELM.  I am attaching my Ideal calendar - Fall 2014 here (I just finished it last week for the fall quarter) and I hope you sit with what yours might look like.  We will dig in to this more next week so get ready to create the life you love.

2. Get some SLEEP.  So often we are exhausted.   Fatigue contributes to the overwhelm like nothing else.  Sleep is the one things that raises our tolerance for life and all the tasks at hand.  Shoot for 8 hours minimum - no I am not kidding.  Even if you think that is impossible, you will find that you can get WAY more done during the day and handle all the curve balls that come your way when you are well rested.

**There is one exception.  If you are a new mom, and you cannot get anywhere close to that amount of sleep, know that you are not alone.  I honestly did not sleep through the night for almost 6 years.  I know fatigue well.  I also know that we have to get the most sleep we can and that this phase passes. I highly encourage NAPPING, asking for support, and giving yourself a break in the first year of mothering (or fathering) any chance you get.  (I just didn't want to trigger you if you who have no control over your sleep.)

3.  Eat HIGH VIBRATIONAL FOODS - Quick, easy and HEALTHY meals are totally possible.  As I said above, we are going to dive into this one full on in 3 weeks, BUT It is so important to know that YOU can eat healthily EVEN if you are busy.  If you want to live a high vibrational life, you need to feed your body just that.  High vibrational food.  In fact, it is how you are going to get through the business like a superstar.  If BUSY is your primary excuse, get ready to let it go.

Food can be prepared in big batches, used as left overs for lunches, frozen in the freezer for those long days when you don't have time to cook, and can still TOTALLY fit into your budget.  I will show you how I PROMISE.

4.  SIMPLIFY.  Are lives are so full of STUFF, EMAILS, PHONE CALLS. and CLUTTER.  It is WAY over the top.  There are so many wonderful ways to have BOUNDARIES around this, while still getting things done, keeping things tidy (less overwhelm) and deciding when we are available to our electronic communications.

Try cleaning up your space, getting rid of the old, and making room for the new.  FALL is a great time for a fresh start so clean our the pantry, give away some old clothes, or de-clutter your living room.  Then take a big EXHALE.  Clutter is a HUGE contributor to overwhelm.

One of my favorite practices is turning off electronics for a one or two hours every evening.  Take an official BREAK.  Turn OFF your phone, SHUT down your computer, and simply live in the spaciousness of your freedom to relax your nervous system.   Pick your times and then close up shop for just a bit.

5.  Find some STILLNESS - Daily meditation for me is like my daily shower.  I cleanse my body in the shower, and I cleanse my mind in my morning meditation.  I shoot for 15 minutes each morning.  Sometimes I can do 30, but other days I squeeze in just 5-10 minutes.  I am so committed to this practice.  Every morning I wake up (30 min at least before my children), take a shower, make some tea, and head to the cushion for a few minutes to find the inner stillness and connection that fuels me through the day.

This one often intimidates people, especially if you have not practiced mediation before, but I know you can find 5 minutes in the morning to begin this practice.  In the upcoming weeks I will share with your some brilliant meditation tips to get you started, and a starter guided meditation.  For now, just sit, turn on your timer, and breath.  That is it.  5 minutes a day will change your life.

This is what I did, and that does not mean it is going to work 100% for you, so if you get an absolute "NO" when you read this, it's okay, we all have our own path to health and happiness.

AND...

there ARE also some universal truths to gain from this.  You can distill what sounds like the right place for you to start.  I will be cheering you on.

I will be sending you major kudos and knowing that you can find the eye of your hurricane, the inner peace even amongst the chaos and most of all the ability to take care of YOU first and foremost.

We live super busy lives these days, and it takes practice figuring out how to navigate the overwhelm.  In just a few short steps and a few extra minutes per day you can create the life you LOVE and find some peace in the process.

Also, if you have any challenges to acknowledge, stories to share, and of course success to celebrate please post them here, share the wealth of your knowledge and wisdom with us.

The Boulder Nutrition Community

What's in your LUNCH BOX?

The stores are shouting back to school, the air starts to have a slight nip in its evening breeze and the yearning for a life with some sense of structure and rhythm is before us. Summer is fleeting.  The long days at the pool and late night BBQ’s drift into our memories and come to an end for another year.  We feel the little twinge of letting go as we settle back into another school year.

I always think of the new school year as a new beginning.  Many people consider this a time to revamp, recharge and get in gear for a great year with their families, and themselves.  Upping the anti in the area of health is a big focus for many families as we start anew.

One of the biggest challenges I hear from parents as we settle back into the fall is:  How do I create the every day SCHOOL LUNCH keeping kids happy, healthy and strong?

Don’t fret.  It is possible to make lunch box ingredients enticing, nutrient dense and yummy for your kids.  You can find your groove; it just might take a little shift in your thinking and a little preparation in your life for the ease to flow this fall.

Your school lunches are never going to be easier, tastier, and more efficient than if you follow these tips below, and, you will also see some great lunch ideas to get you started.  You are off to a GREAT start.

1.  GO CONTAINER SHOPPING:  I know it sounds simple, but having the appropriate carrier makes all the difference in your ease and efficiency.

• The BENTO LUNCH BOX is the perfect set up.  It has all the compartments and containers you could want, plus an insulated chiller bag to keep your munchkins lunch fresh.
• OR Buy a variety of small containers that have good lids and fit together well.  Those little fingers will be so excited and amazed at what they find inside.

• A WIDE MOUTH THERMOS will save the day.  We use it almost daily for leftovers, soups and stews that will nourish the little buddies when they need something warm.  They make little mini versions perfect for a young one and easy to manage.

2.  CREATE YOUR MENU: I always think in terms of having some easy default plans.  You know, the ones where you have to think very little.  Find 3 top lunches (check out the list below) that work for you and your kiddo and try to keep as much of that around for a quick and stress free assembly.  It does not have to be gourmet, complicated or require a lot of time to be healthy and for your kids to love lunching.

 3.  THINK IN TERMS OF FOOD GROUPS: A balanced meal is made of 4 building blocks.  A protein, a fat, a carbohydrate (in its whole form is best – includes fruit) and a veggie of some kind.    If you can think in this formula you will be golden.  Need an example?  No problem.

• A hard boiled egg of dish of egg salad = protein + fat

(Feel free to include some flax crackers or carrot sticks for dipping)

• A container of strawberries = Carbohydrate
• Left over steamed broccoli = veggie
• BONUS – some nuts and dried fruit for a snack.

4.  MAKE A LIST:  Being prepared is ALWAYS the best road to success.  This is also true in the world of school lunches. Once you get your GO-TO lunches down it is easy breezy, you’ve just got to be prepared.  Go to the store EVERY SUNDAY to gather what you need for the week.  Then it is a SURE THING.  Make your list for the week and don’t forget to include enough ingredients for dinner leftovers – they make the best school lunches.

5.  LOVE YOUR LITTLE GUY/GAL:  This year, amidst a cold winter dark morning when I had just about had it with school lunches all together, I stood in my kitchen in my cozy bathrobe with my hot cup of morning tea.  I stood there blank, empty, and done.  “I can’t make another lunch.  I am fried.”  It took a few mystical moments but soon after my first thought I was flooded with love.  Love for my kids, and love and passion for health.

Every school lunch is like a daily practice for me, loving my kids through food and nourishment.  So when I totally dry up in the world of creativity, I can dig deep into that well of love, and there it is.

I have made thousands of school lunches at this point.  My kids are 17 and 13.  They have never eaten lunch from the cafeteria regularly, always homemade. You can do it.  Do it for love.

6.  TAKE CARE OF SELF:  I know we hear it all the time, but sometimes we NEVER REALLY hear it!  You have to take care of yourself first.  Parenting will drain you.  It is joyful and magical, and it is challenging and hard.   The only way out of this is to feed yourself, love yourself, and give as much attention to your lunch as you do to theirs.

Keep your cup filled up and you will have more to give.  Food is such a primary way we show love to others, and food is such an important way we nourish ourselves.

I have many ideas to share with you.  Some have been my go-to’s for years:

• Beef and veggie stew – we pre-make in the crock pot all day on Sundays.  Grass fed beef, red potato (or various root veggies), celery, carrot, onion, with beef broth for flavor and spiced + salted to taste. We top it off with kale at the end. Ari takes this in his thermos for days.

• Organic chicken sausage pan-fried with rice, a small container of sauerkraut, and seaweed.

Some favorite lunches are gathered from a potpourri of the other health practitioners in this community.  When asked what their kids favorite lunches are here is what they said:

• Black beans and brown rice with chopped veggies simmered in with the beans. Organic corn chips with goat cheese wedges, baby tomatoes and sliced apples! Always a winner w Jackson :)  – Erika Anderson, Licensed Acupuncturist, Boulder Sports Acupuncture

• Avocado and tomato salad with olive oil and sea salt. Chicken salad with dried cherries and cashews with flax crackers. Squash fries with dipping sauce. Sofie eats it up every time.– Jessica Emich, Executive chef and co-owner of Shine Restaurant and Gathering Place

• For Sam- a thermos of beans & rice, seaweed, organic apple, a raw red peppers. – Kim Millison, Licensed Acupuncturist.

• Tess loves quinoa, broccoli and crumbled goat cheese. I add cashews, a side of avocado slices and seaweed. – Deb Rubin, Licensed Social Worker (Couples and Parenting specialist)

• Nora's favorite lunches are California rolls- we pre-make rice for the week, add carrots and cucumbers and lots of gomasio, and wrap it up in nori- she loves them. – Kristin Savory, Licensed Acupuncturist, Grow Vibrant.

 “The practice of doing more than necessary works best when packing lunch boxes” ― Josh Stern

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHES?  SHARE WITH US BELOW AND LET'S MAKE LUNCH TIME LOVABLE...

Tips from a Travelling Yogini

Yoga mat in toe, organic plane snacks along side...uplift your health and happiness this summer while you hit the road for some final adventures before the back to school, fall routine, and change of weather creeps in.

Weather you are the classic ROAD TRIPPER or more of the INTERNATIONAL ADVENTURER you will find these tips help you fine tune your travel.

Personally, I get so full and inspired in my day-to-day life, that sometimes the thought of a vacation intimidates me.  Because I love my HOME life so much, infused with daily practice, good food, and SUE time each and every week, sometimes I forget about how great a vacation can be for the soul.

Loving life is a wonderful gift, but taking a break is still a great health prescription.  Walking away from the computer, the daily pulls of life and officially unplugging, and exploring my more adventurous side is one essential ingredient to my health plan.

I sent my retreat team a little bon voyage text this morning, my international travel buddies, as most often they sit next to me on these big trips to our annual women’s health + yoga retreat.  We have our routine down.  Who brings the avocado, the dark chocolate, the almond butter packets, green drinks, and the nori?

This time, it’s just me.   Some may think I go over board with the super food lunches I pack for ski trips, or the elaborate snacks I take on the plane, but I am always thankful I did.  The truth is, I enjoy the ability to make trips easeful, pleasurable and healthy.

Yes, I am bringing my yoga mat, my own personal stash of melatonin to help with the jet lag (it is a winner), some soothing essential oils, and some raw whey protein shakes incase I get hungry later.

What do you do when you travel? I have some great YOGINI travel tips for you below.  These TRAVEL EASY tips that will enhance the rest of your summer and beyond.

This is my personal variation of a famous John Kabat Zinn quote:

Wherever you go ...there you are, so make the WHERE YOU ARE part great.  It’s the only place you will ever be!! 

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SUMMER'S Travel Easy tips for Health and Happiness

FOODIE SNACKS

Fueling yourself in a satiating and grounding way when you travel will not only enhance your health, but it will also keep your energy good and keep the cranky traveler at bay.

• Bring Food. Take a special trip to the store for travel snacks.  Stock up on easy, portable and nutrient dense foods that you enjoy.  Food such as nuts, dried fruit, avocado, nori, and Justin’s almond butter packs are foodie fuel and an asset for your travels.

• Do a little research.  If you are travelling to a new city or a new country, there is plenty of info online.  Eating more locally and healthful in a new place can be very exciting!  Talk to the fisherman, the restaurant owners, and the local farmers and get the SCOOP.  Tantalize your taste buds with new combinations and ideas with what is available in the area.

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DIGESTION DELIGHTS

 Worried about your digestion?  Many complain about their digestion when on the road, or traveling about.  Don’t despair.  Your digestion CAN adjust.  Try this:

• Hydrating is the number 1 travel tip.   If there is anything that does not agree with you, drinking plenty of water will help flush it out, while also keeping your body hydrated.  Many airports now have purified water refill stations so you do not have to keep using the plastic bottles.  Bring an empty water bottle and fill it up after you cross security.

• Try some flax seed, probiotics, or chia seeds .  Each of these supports your digestion in a different way.  The flax and chia keep you from being constipated, while the probiotics protect your from foreign flora and boost your immunity.  These can all be mixed with water, and taken easily on the road.

• Many essential oils really help with indigestion, and IBS symptoms.  I use the DigestZen from DOTERRA.  DOTERRA makes therapeutic grade oil that is both safe for topical and internal use.  It is soothing and comforting for your traveling belly.

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TENSION TAMERS

Many folks experience plenty of travel tension.  From planning logistics, to leaving home, to lifting off land for air travel, tension unfortunately can create some dis-ease in your travels.  Many of us are uncomfortable getting out of our comfort zones.  Here are a few of my favorite tension tamers for your travel.

• Load up your IPOD with some good relaxing music, chanting, or even guided meditations.  Watch your nervous system unwind as you connect mind and body.

• If you often get nervous or anxious on any particular leg of your trip, pick up some GABA at the local health food store.  GABA is a natural amino acid that feed the GABA neurotransmitter, turning down the stressful anxious part of your nervous system.  For faster relief, purchase the sublingual type.  GABA can be used to help with sleep, stress and even a panic or anxiety attack.  It works within about 20 minutes of taking and is totally safe with any medications.

• Writing about your tension can offer a deeper relationship to “what it is really about”.  So often the first emotion we feel is disguising the deeper emotion.  Journaling can start to unravel the situation and support you in a more fulfilling inquiry into yourself and your stress.

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ADVENTURE ADVOCATES

 “When in Rome…” Going somewhere brings adventure, new ways of being and doing.  Often we are pushed out of our comfort zone and into something that can open our minds into seeing new possibilities.  We may never be the same again.

• Take time each day to pause and check in.  What are you learning from being in this new place.  How can you absorb your surrounding, culture, people through the witness mind?

• Stay centered.  Being centered while on the move is not easy.  Set aside a few minutes a day to focus on your breath and body.  TUNE IN.  A simple practice can go a long way.

• Remember to LET GO.  Travel adventures are unpredictable, spontaneous, and exciting.  The beauty is in the mystery.  The more you can LET GO of expectation, the more you can roll with the adventures completely and have a blast.

Sweet like HONEY

Ahhh, the sweetness of summer… The warm sun waking us up to frolic outside in the early morning warmth, the expansiveness we find in our hearts as we enjoy the outdoors, the community and fun in the sun.

 There are many ways to sweeten things up in both our lives and in our foods.  Sweet is the flavor of the heart and reminds us of the sweetness of life.

During the summer the sweeter fruits ripen, and the sweetness of summer is all around. Here are some tips to keep your sweetening in balance while still expanding into the flavor of summer.

 5 Health Tips to Sweetening Things Up:

 1.     Avoid Artificial Sweeteners

Due to the many health risks associated with too much sugar, many folks have tried to take short cuts using artificial sweeteners in place of the natural sweet.  The media has enforced this gives the taste buds and the body the message that we are enjoying the sweet flavor without the cost.  Unfortunately this is a short cut NOT worth taking.  Many artificial sweeteners create addictive patterns, cravings, and serious withdrawal symptoms.

Avoid artificial sweeteners like the plague. While the mechanisms of harm may differ, they’re ALL harmful in one way or another. This includes aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal), sucralose (Splenda) and any other artificial sweeteners.

• Aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal) contains high amounts of phenylalanine and aspartic acid.  While these amino acids are found naturally in the body when they are combined out of there natural ratio they can cause many side effects such as headaches, mental confusion, dizziness and seizures.  As these amino acids break down in this out of balance combination, they can literally break down into a form of formaldehyde which is toxic to the body.

• Splenda is the artificial sweetener other wise known as sucralose.  This sweetener has received a ton of press in the past few years, leading us down the road to discovering not only is this sweetener made up of a high percentage of chlorine, but now recent studies show that sucralose may raise bloods sugar insulin levels, kill of good bacteria in the GI tract, and in long term exposure damage DNA permanently.

2.     Get Back to Basics

Eat a whole food diet to reset your taste buds.  The body thrives when we eat our foods close to nature, whole, simple, clean and alive.  These ancient principles of eating are great guidelines to how to grocery shop, cook and feed our bodies nourishing foods.  The palate can transform back to its original and intended tasting organ as we purify our diets.

When we are competing with really strong enhanced flavors found in mainstream processed foods, such as super salty foods or overly sweet sodas, we become so over stimulated by our taste buds that something like an apple or a carrot looses it appeal.

Coming back to the basics with whole food eating will recalibrate your taste buds and a lot of those strong flavors (especially sugar) will vanish from your cravings.

3.     Use Natural Sweeteners

Sweetening your food is something many of us seek in our day-to-day meals, healthy deserts and snacks.  With the whole food eating in mind, you will notice that your palate adjusts and what used to taste pleasantly sweet (like a soda) may now be too sweet to drink.

Finding natural sweeteners to use in your baking, sauces and creations in the kitchen is a great option to enhance your flavors while still keeping your flavors in balance.  Here are some of my favorites.

• Raw honey is known for its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.  It is a pure source of sweet and even though it is fairly high on the glycemic index scale, a little goes a very long way.  The health benefits of local raw honey include naturally suppressing the common cough, aiding in a good nights sleep (by facilitating typtophan), and boosting immunity to name a few.

• Coconut sugar, made from the sap of the coconut palm, doesn't put stress on your blood sugar levels the same way that white sugar does. Because coconut sugar is unrefined, it retains all of its natural minerals and vitamins so it has a higher nutrient density.  Coconut sugar is easy to cook with and can be substituted 1:1 in recipes.

• Maple syrup, made by boiling sap from the maple tree, contains compounds that could help manage Type 2 diabetes, as well as acting as anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents.  Maple is full of many anti-oxidants, full of a wide range of vitamins and minerals especially zinc and manganese.  Many health experts are now calling pure maple syrup a champion food.

• Xylitol is pure, natural with essentially no blood sugar response. Xylitol also comes with some benefits such as fighting tooth decay. Xylitol is safe, and a beneficial sweetener.

4.     Eat a Low Glycemic Diet.

If you an stick to a low glycemic diet you will not only see benefits in almost every area of your health, energy, sleep and metabolism, but you will also see your sugar cravings diminish before your eyes.    

The glycemic index of a particular food rates the food on how quickly it turns to sugar in your blood stream.  Processed carbohydrates and refined sugars are always going to rate very high on the spectrum where as proteins, fats, whole grains and some fruits will be low or moderate.

There are some added tricks to lowering the glycemic index of your meal.

• First, you can add more protein – have some nuts with our dried fruit.
• Second, you can add high quality fat – put a little olive oil on that piece of bread.
• Third, you can add fiber or choose a high fiber version of the food – cook brown rice instead of white.

Eating a low glycemic diet is one of the quickest way to see your health and vitality turn around.  It is fairly simple and incredibly effective

5.     Sweeten Up Your Life

The sweet flavor has often been linked to love, pleasure, comfort and many other soothing qualities we all yearn for in our humanness.  Often, when we are not getting enough of these in our lives, we crave more sugar and overly self- soothe with the sweetness in food.

Try enhancing your life with the sweetness you can find in your daily down time, in the way that you exercise, the practices you do that activate your senses in a positive way, and especially the way you love yourself.  This is where the true sweetness is found.

The Benefits of Broccoli

Who knew?? This super powered vegetable family (AKA - Brassica) is power packed with so many vital nutrients that specifically address so many health issues of our time.A few years ago (well, maybe more than a few) I went to an inspiring seminar with Dr. Robert Roundtree, author of "Conscious Health for Every Child", one of my parenting bibles. He is a health guru, MD, and holistic health expert.  He spoke about this very topic.  It was so informative and wise.  Once again, I was reminded how much food can truly be our medicine!

Brassica is not just any vegetable, it is a super powered veggie family that strikes up a health potency like no other.  Brassica is made up of veggies like kale, cabbage, brussel sprouts, watercress, radish, and even maca (a cousin of the well known radish).

They all have something in common.  That special Brassica ingredient, is a specialized molecule known in the supplement world as DIM (di-indol-3-carbinol) that is one of the best estrogen metabolizers out there.

DIM regulates hormones, balances out menopausal symptoms, PMS, and is a huge contributor to breast cancer prevention.

Dr. Robert Roundtree told us that day in the seminar that a recent study came out in the Journal for Americian Medicine.  This study stated that eating just 5 servings of the brassica family per week decreased the chances of breast cancer by 50%.  That is HUGE!!!

That means if you try to eat just something every day from the brassica family you are doing GREAT.  You are using food to contribute directly to your health and vitality.

You can throw a leaf or two into you smoothie as we mentioned in our last post - LIQUID LOVE.  You can steam up some broccoli for dinner, throw some radish into your salad, or get ready for some yummy brussel sprouts just in time for Thanksgiving.

We are going to HOOK YOU UP!!  Click the link below for the perfect fall brassica recipes.  Let me know if you need a little more brassica, and I can set you up with your very own DIM supplement.  Easy BREEZY.

Download your brassica recipes here

Have fun in the kitchen, and remember...

“The garden suggests there might be a place where we can meet nature halfway.”   Michael Pollan

Launch your Localicious Summer + Colorado Localicious Summer Guide

....and Learn 3 secrets that will change your relationship to food for good!

I know many of you have heard the term "localicious" before, the term referring to eating local + delicious.  Some of you may have even explored eating local, buying organic and upgrading your diet to a more healthful, and nutrient dense style.  What you may NOT have heard is how eating local can change your relationship to food and your body.

Here are a few specialized BOULDER NUTRITION secrets that will transform how you THINK about your food from here forward.

These 3 small do-able TWEAKS will transform your summer.

Start now...  REClAIM your health once and for all.

PLUS, click here and --> download your free LOCALICIOUS guide today and you will be ready to ROCK your summer ASAP!

1.  The Secret is in the SOURCE

Have you ever tried a recipe passed down from your mother's Italian grandmother, or made yourself a garden salad that you and your children planted seeds for on mothers day?  Better yet, have you ever watched your child pick carrots from the local community garden and then smack their lips and open their hearts in joy?  There is something very magical that happens when we connect with our food, the places it grows, and the love that goes into it.

There is no mistaking that a current lack of connection is a primary root cause to our countries health and obesity issues.  When we buy the majority of our food in vacuum sealed bags, large wholesale quantities, or eat fast food on the run - we lose the connection.

The food-heart connection is one secret that permeates many layers into your relationship with food.  This connection literally can shift OVER EATING, BINGING, and EMOTIONAL EATING patterns.  Eating local is a wonderful place to start.  When you sit down to a meal full of a heart connection to your plate, a totally different savoring occurs.  Just like the age old Italian grandmother's recipe, eating local allows us to treasure, enjoy and feel the love being passed down from our forks to our fondness.

2.  LOVE your Farmer, LOVE your self

The organic farmers of today remind me of good kings (or queens).  They rule the land with care, they nourish the people of the kingdom (community) and they ensure good health for all. Good kings ward off the evil villains (a.k.a. Monsanto) while protecting the lineage and age old traditions for generations to come.  Sound familiar?

Loving your farmer provides a vital link between eaters and the importance of protecting our precious farmland.  Loving your farmer directly translates into self love with every bite of fresh local food that nourishes you directly down to a cellular level.  Famers love support from the local community and YOU feel supported by your own health choices.

3.  Eating for a GREATER CAUSE

Just like anything we do, when we do it in service, it juices us up and raises our vibration.  Running a race for a cause, buying concert tickets to raise money for a global mission, or eating to support the health of our communities raises the COLLECTIVE vibration.  When every bite has meaning and passion, we then have more pleasure and gusto with our food.  Truthfully, it is more ETHICAL to eat locally.  In addition to being fresher and riper, the food hasn’t cost an ecological fortune in fossil fuels coming across the continent.  We are making an impact with our food choice for a happier planet.  Eating for a greater cause changes the dynamic between you and your plate.

YOU can do this!  The Free Download-localicious summer guide will help you to navigate your recipe book, cruise your kitchen, the local section of the grocery store and local farmers' markets with confidence.  Make this summer a localicious movement that changes your health and relationship to every bite.

GMO Roulette ~ With Expert Tips to GMO-Free Shopping

With the March against Monsanto going on world wide, and the day-to-day political, and health and wellness choices we continually face at this time in the world, I thought it was particularly important to share some facts, tips and check in with you about what is REALLY going on with GMOs. We spend our dollars on food for ourselves and our families each week, but do we know where we are putting our money, do we know what we are actually buying?     

The GMO current situation may be one of the biggest challenges of our time and we are being called to become aware, to educate, and to act in what each of us consider a mindful way navigating this GMO roulette.

Today we are going to explore what is currently happening and what YOU (and I) can do to take action, protect and be wise navigating around this potential health disaster.

Stay tuned, as this information is critical to share! Also, to give you a little hand holding, we created a guide to the grocery store, our handy grocery store tips to avoid/bring awareness to GMO free food.  Hungry for Change ~ NON-GMO shopping guide

What is a GMO?

GMO foods are the product of a high tech cell invasion that uses bacteria and viruses to forcefully break a cell's natural defenses to allow genetic material to enter and create the genetically modified food.  Genetic mutations can permanently turn genes “on” or “off”.Virtually all commercial GMO foods are engineered to withstand direct application of herbicide and/or to produce an insecticide. Despite biotech industry promises, none of the GMO traits currently on the market offer increased yield, drought tolerance, enhanced nutrition, or any other consumer benefit.  Meanwhile, a growing body of evidence connects GMOs with health problems, environmental damage and violation of farmers’ and consumers’ rights.

What are the impacts of GMOs on the environment?

Over 80% of all GMOs grown worldwide are engineered for herbicide tolerance. As a result, use of toxic herbicides like Roundup has increased 15 times since GMOs were introduced. GMO crops are also responsible for the emergence of “super weeds” and “super bugs" which can only be killed with ever more toxic poisons like 2-4-D (a major ingredient in Agent Orange).  GMOs are a direct extension of chemical agriculture, and are developed and sold by the world’s biggest chemical companies. The long-term impacts of GMOs are unknown, and once released into the environment these novel organisms cannot be recalled.

How do GMOs affect farmers?


Because GMOs are novel life forms, biotechnology companies have been able to obtain patents with which to restrict their use. As a result, the companies that make GMOs now have the power to sue farmers whose fields are contaminated with GMOs, even when it is the result of inevitable drift from neighboring fields. GMOs therefore pose a serious threat to farmer sovereignty and to the national food security of any country where they are grown, including the United States.

Who is MONSANTO?

Monsanto is a global agricultural biotech company – mostly know for genetically engineered seeds.  Monsanto has become the center stage for the destruction of our seeds, our diversity, our food and our freedom.  Upheld by the supreme crt, Monsanto protection act making it immune from protecting diversity and contamination.

The only way consumers are going to win this crisis is if the mainstream demands to know what is in our food.  Labeling is important!!  That is the main goal of the march against Monsanto.

The non-GMO project

Thanks to the non-GMO project we are still (but maybe not for long) able to see which products are non-GMO.  The GMO free verification seal indicates that the product bearing the seal has gone through a strict verification process. The verification is an assurance that a product has been produced according to consensus-based best practices for GMO avoidance.

Hungry for Change ~ NON-GMO shopping guide

This is critical information of our time!  It is important to act, not just upon our health, but also upon our freedom. Our freedom to choose is something we often take for granted, and in the Monsanto Protection Act and the GMO movement in general, we are seeing this right slip away.  Making small changes in how you shop, what you eat, and where your dollars go is a great place to start.