Healthy Healing Habits

Healthy Healing Habits mission is to empower women to be WORTHY NOW and let go of limiting beliefs so they can step into the true version of themselves and help them discover their vision for their health. These manifest in our daily lives in the form of eating disorders, drug, sex, and food addictions, anxiety attacks, mysterious illnesses, weight problems, or digestive issues. I offer accountability, support, and the systems and tools that help women. healthyhealinghabits@gmail.com

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

6 WEEK CLEAN EATING CHALLENGE

This 6 week clean eating Challenge is devised from several sources. There is substantial scientific proof that a plant-based diet is the key to weight loss, and that proper nutrition is the key to a full life free of disease.

Did you know:

· Dietary change can enable diabetic patients to go off their medications.
· Heart disease can be reversed with diet alone.
· Breast cancer is related to levels of female hormones in the blood, which are determined by the food we eat.
· Consuming dairy foods can increase the risk of prostate cancer.
· Antioxidants, found in fruits and vegetables, are linked to better mental performance in old age.
· Kidney stones can be prevented by a healthy diet.
· Type 1 diabetes is convincingly linked to infant feeding practices. 1

America’s health is failing and three things point to the cause: BREAKFAST, LUNCH, and DINNER. We spend more, per capita, on health care than any other society in the world, and yet two thirds of Americans are OVERWEIGHT, and over 15 million Americans have diabetes. Our society does not promote preventative HEALTH CARE, instead we perpetuate SICK CARE by trying to fix a problem by slapping a band-aid of medication over the true cause of the symptoms, the Standard American Diet (SAD). Instead of dumping our dollars into better SICK CARE, we can heal ourselves take charge of our future and actually take CARE of our HEALTH by eating the right nutritionally sound foods!

This is NOT a diet. There is a reason the first three letters of the word diet are DIE! This is a lifestyle choice. You are eliminating processed foods and choosing to follow a more plant-based diet based on the recommendations from the book Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Thrive by Brendan Brasier, and backed up by research from the critically acclaimed The China Study. Much more focus has come to the forefront on this subject with the recent release of the movie and book Forks Over Knives. I highly recommend getting any of these books or at the least watching the movie in order to take control of your future and understand the reasons behind your choices. Even if you don’t read the book I am giving you the necessary guidelines to succeed at this Challenge if you so choose. I of course am willing to guide and coach you for free, but I will reference the book for most answers and suggest you read up. This Challenge is plant-based and it is your option to eat chicken or fish. This challenge is to help people become healthier, lose weight, change their lives, my recommendations are only that RECOMMENDATIONS. Ultimately, the choices you make are up to you. Again, refer to any of these books to see what they say about- animal consumption.
A specific meal plan and recipes are not provided because I don’t want to violate any copyright laws. However, Dr. Furhman, Brendan Brasier, and Forks Over Knives does provide tons of great recipes and specific meal plans. The internet is also a great place to find recipes, so don’t despair. (See resources below).

I recommend starting the Challenge with the 3 Day Cleanse. This cleanse will jump start your metabolism and help break some of the food addictions your body has. Please note that as you break addictions to food, as with any substance, you may experience withdrawal symptoms. It is not uncommon to feel bloated, have headaches, and general feelings of unwellness the first few days as your body detoxifies from sugar, caffeine, processed grains, animal products etc.

Basics:

3 Shakeology meals

2 cups of green tea

2 pieces of Fruit for snacks

1 Large salad with protein

Protein choices (Vegan: Hemp,

Vegetarian: Egg Whites, or Grilled Fish or Chicken)

NO ADDITIVES: No Dairy, No Non Dairy Milk

(Fruit is optional, to maximize cleanse you may choose to eliminate)

Repeat for 3 days

You can contact me for a sample plan!

A few notes:

**Shakeology is allowed and recommended in our challenge. Given that our foods today are so nutrient deprived, Shakeology makes nutritional sense. It contains many different super foods such as goji berries, maca root, wheatgrass, and camu camu to name just a few foods. Many of you have seen the video, but REALLY, if you were to try to buy all the ingredients that are in Shakeology, you would be paying about $40 per shake.

This next video talks about where the ingredients in Shakeology come from. You’ll be impressed:

GUIDELINES FOR THE CHALLENGE:

This is a WEIGHTLOSS challenge if your goal if Sports Performance, or weight GAIN please see me for specifics!

**Eat 4 to 6 small meals a day, every 2-3 hours.

**Exercise 5 to 6 times per week. I am a Beachbody coach. I can help you in choosing a Beachbody program if you are my customer. I am also a personal trainer and can create a routine for you.

The EATING GUIDELINES are pretty specific (ie. 1 cup of beans per day, 1 lb or raw veggies, etc.) Please take the time to read them. Again, you’ll have to get creative with recipes or buy the book, which is only about $9.

Here we go:

UNLIMITED (eat as much as you want):
all raw vegetables, including raw carrots (goal: 1 lb. daily)
cooked green vegetables (goal 1 lb. daily) **You can eat all veggies raw if you like
beans, legumes, bean sprouts, or *tofu (minimum 1 cup daily in total of these)
fresh fruit (at least 4 daily).
eggplant, mushrooms, peppers, onions, tomato and other non-starchy vegetables, cooked and raw (unlimited)

*Beans should be eaten daily; tofu should be eaten less frequently.
**Barbie note: I would actually eliminate tofu or use it just once a week, not as a main dish.
LIMITED (not more than one serving):
cooked starchy vegetables OR whole grains–Maximum 1 cup per day (butternut or acorn squash, corn, sweet potato, brown rice, cooked carrots, whole grain breads*, whole grain cereals*)
raw nuts and seeds (1 oz. or 28.5 grams a day) or 2 ounces avocado
ground flaxseed (1 tablespoon a day)
soymilk, low-sugar preferred–Maximum 1 cup a day**
*avoid breads and cereals as much as possible
** I would recommend ALMOND, HEMP, OR RICE MILK.

OFF-LIMITS:
dairy products
animal products
between meal snacks
fruit juice, dried fruits
salt, sugar
Alcohol ***

*** I would recommend cutting out alcohol for six weeks or limit it to one drink a week. Eliminate sugary drinks altogether!

It is your choice to add in animal products (CHICKEN or FISH ONLY). If you do follow the 90/10 guideline. Try to keep animal products to 10% of your diet to maximize benefits, detoxification, etc. It is not uncommon to lose upwards of 20 lbs on this diet and improve your overall health. If you are on any medications for diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol I suggest you watch closely because your need for them will diminish greatly. Tell your Doctor about your plan so he can monitor your medications and drop them accordingly! Keep track, keep pictures, keep being amazed!

NUTS and RAW SEEDS, but not ground flax, are optional for people who want to lose weight while they follow this weight loss plan. People who have difficulty losing weight may also eliminate the starchy vegetable/grain.
Resources:
Dr. Fuhrman Online: Official Website
YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/drfuhrman
Sample Recipes: http://www.drfuhrman.com/library/recipes.aspx

Forks Over Knives: http://forksoverknives.com/

JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP FOR THE CHALLENGE!!!!

Thursday, July 7, 2011

The Definition of "Beautiful"

I have always struggled with society’s definition of beautiful. The dictionary defines beauty as the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations (as shape, color, sound, etc.), a meaningful design or pattern, or something else (as a personality in which high spiritual qualities are manifest). Unfortunately a person’s idea of what is beautiful is overshadowed by mass media, magazines, and T.V. Everywhere you turn today you see unhealthy images of “beautiful” people. The runways are littered with skinny, malnourished models. T.V. shows and movies exhibit thin armed and weak stars, at least for the female counterparts. Females have been forced into a role where the perceived image of what is beautiful is not a strong, independent woman, but a guant individual. What do you find beautiful?

My definition of beautiful is a healthy, fit, toned person. A healthy person does not look emancipated, lanky, or malnourished. A fit person can easily do regular exercises without getting out of breath. A fit person does not use chemical substances, such a smoking and drugs, and eats a balance, clean diet. A toned person has muscle definition that is lean and balanced. The amount of muscle can vary according each person’s own preference, but resistance training is a must and necessary to a “beautiful” person. A ‘beautiful” woman is empowered, strong, confident, and fit.

Little girls and women have been trying for decades to conform to society’s idea of what beauty is and this has led to an alarming rate of eating disorders. In the United States, as many as 10 million females are fighting a life and death battle with an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. Millions more are struggling with binge eating disorder (Crowther et al., 1992; Fairburn et al., 1993; Gordon, 1990; Hoek, 1995; Shisslak et al., 1995). I was once one of those 10 million females that looked at the magazines and watched the T.V. shows and struggled with my self image. I tried to fit my body into society’s ideal image. Thankfully I was able to change my view and fitness has saved my life. I have now dedicated my life to helping others like me get healthy and fit and by doing so change the definition of “BEAUTIFUL” to an empowering and strong word that encompasses drive, passion, and health. Over the next few months I will be writing articles on health and fitness geared towards being a healthy, empowered female. I welcome your emails, questions, and topics for discussions!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

What exactly are “GREENS” you ask? And the BENEFITS of Green Smoothies

Greens are just an easy way to explain a large category of sometimes forgotten foods that are leafy and green and should theoretically have their own classification instead of being classified as vegetables. They are the #1 food you can eat regularly to improve your health. Leafy greens are brimming with fiber along with vitamins, minerals, and plant-based substances, such as chlorophyll and phytonutrients that may help protect you from heart disease, diabetes, and perhaps even cancer. Leafy greens are also an excellent source of omega-3’s ( a topic for another time!) Greens include kale, collards, turnip greens, carrot tops, swiss chard, spinach, mustard greens, broccoli, romaine, arugula, escarole, purslane, cabbage, brussel sprouts, beet tops, cilantro, parsley, wheatgrass, and elderberry to name just a few. There are actually over 120 different types of greens, but unfortunately only about 40 are commonly known or regularly available. Many species are wild and can be found with the right tools, guidance and direction. Now with all this goodness how should they be consumed?

The best way to eat greens is RAW and in a smoothie. Why? Oh let me list the ways…

Green smoothies have numerous benefits for human health.

1. Green smoothies are very nutritious. The ratio in them is optimal for human consumption; about 60% ripe organic fruit mixed with about 40% organic greens.
2. Green smoothies are easy to digest. When blended well, most of the cells in the greens and fruits are ruptured, making the valuable nutrients easy for the body to assimilate. Green smoothies literally start to get absorbed in your mouth.
3. Green smoothies, as opposed to juices, are a complete food because they still have fiber. Consuming fiber is important for our elimination system.
4. Green smoothies belong to the most palatable dishes for all humans of all ages. With a ratio of fruits to veggies as 60:40 the fruit taste dominates the flavor, yet at the same time the greens balance out the sweetness of the fruit, adding a nice zest to it. People who eat a standard American diet enjoy the taste of green smoothies. T hey are usually quite surprised that something so green could taste so nice.
5. A molecule of chlorophyll closely resembles a molecule of human blood. According to teachings of Dr. Ann Wigmore, consuming chlorophyll is like receiving a healthy blood transfusion. Many people do not consume enough greens, even those who stay on a raw food diet. By drinking two or three cups of green smoothies daily you will consume enough greens for the day to nourish your body, and all of the beneficial nutrients will be well assimilated.
6. Green smoothies are easy to make, and quick to clean up after. In contrast, juicing greens is time consuming, messy, and expensive. Many people abandon drinking green juices on a regular basis for those reasons. To prepare a pitcher of green smoothie takes less than 5 minutes, including cleaning.
7. Green smoothies have proven to be loved by children of all ages, including babies of six or more months old. Of course you have to be careful and slowly increase the amount of smoothies to avoid food allergies.
8. When you consume your greens in the form of green smoothies, you can greatly reduce the consumption of oils and salt in your diet.
9. Regular consumption of green smoothies forms a good habit of eating greens. After a few weeks of drinking green smoothies, most people start to crave and enjoy eating more greens. Eating enough greens is often a problem with many people, especially children.
While fresh is always best, green smoothies will keep in cool temperatures for up to three days, which can be handy at work and while traveling.
Start playing with green smoothies, and discover the many joys and benefits of this wonderful delicious and nutritious addition to your menu. You may find many more amazing facts about green smoothies in Victoria Boutenko’s book, Green for Life, available at www.rawfamily.com.

This information on GREEN SMOOTHIES was Pasted from FOR more information please visit www.greenforlife.com

Here's a recipe to TRY and Start your REVOLUTION:

Summer Splendor Smoothie
Sergei Boutenko
4 leaves chard, stems removed
3 stalks celery
1 head fresh parsley
6 apricots
3 peaches
½ vanilla bean
Yields 2 quarts

By adding green smoothies as part of your Clean Eating routine you will see the nutritious benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Finding Your HAPPY Spot "Inner Peace"

I have been asked many times how I find the time, the balance, the energy to do everything that I do. I am a competitor, which requires hours of training a day, i work a full time job at a gym, and I also train private clients in another city that is 45 minutes away that I travel to five to six days a week. I am also in the process of filming a pilot for a reality TV show.
Let me tell you this: I don't always get the dishes done, my laundry piles up on a regular basis, I rarely get to the beach (although that is why I live in Florida), I don't eat out, and my partner sometimes feels neglected. I am tired EVERY night, but I love Waking up in the morning. I forget to call my friends, parents, and even my DAUGHTER back on a regular basis. I am not perfect, contrary to popular belief. I don't always feel beautiful, I'm not always on point. But do I feel overwhelmed? NO. Why? ATTITUDE What most people see are the positives because of the ATTITUDE that I portray on a daily basis.

Every morning I wake up with a smile ready to hit the ground running blessed to be alive, free, and happy. I have battled many disorders and sadness in my life and I love the feeling of improving myself, helping someone else, and giving back to the Universe. I have found my Happy spot by finding inner peace. I follow a mantra of positive thinking and access The Power of Now. Your thoughts can change your life. They have changed mine. There is a difference between being Happy and finding "inner peace". Inner peace is the ability to say "is that so" when life does what it does and defeat the drama queen in all of us with presence. This is achieved by letting go of your ego and enjoy each moment in the present. "Live for today, because yesterday is gone and tomorrow never comes." This is my saying I have had for years (actually was my quote in my high school year book over fifteen years ago) I have only in the past five years come to truly understand what it means. When you live in the present moment you forgo worries of the future and pains of the past. Drama is unable to enter your life. So today I challenge you to find your Happy Spot and release your negativity.
*"All inner resistance is experienced as negativity in one form or another.

All negativity is resistance. In this context, the two words are almost synonymous. Negativity ranges from irritation or impatience, to fierce anger, from a depressed mood or sullen resentment to suicidal despair. Sometimes the resistance triggers the emotional pain-body, in which case even a minor situation may produce intense negativity, such as anger, depression or deep grief. The ego believes that through negativity it can manipulate reality and get what it wants.

Once you have identified with some form of negativity, YOU DO NOT WANT TO LET IT GO and on some deep level, you do not want positive change. It would threaten your identity as a depressed, angry or hard-done- by person. You will then ignore, deny or sabotage the positive in your life. This is a common phenomenon. IT IS ALSO INSANE."* . Find your inner peace and you will change your life and touch those around you. Become a fully conscious person. "It is what it is....."

Excerpt from The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
"When two or more egos come together, drama of some kind or another ensues. But even if you live totally alone, you still create your own drama. When you feel sorry for yourself, that’s drama. When you feel guilty or anxious , that’s drama. When you let the past or future obscure the present, you are creating .the stuff of which drama is made. Whenever you are not honoring the present moment by allowing it to be, you are creating drama."

"Most people are in love with their particular life drama. Their story IS their particular life drama. When you live with complete acceptance of what is, that is the end of all drama in your life.

YOU CANNOT HAVE AN ARGUMENT WITH A FULLY CONSCIOUS PERSON."

* Dennis Diehl Holistic Healing

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

An Inspirational Video 1 - The Law Of Attraction

Be Inspired!!!! Have a wonderful day! 2 days till I leave for my NYC Competition!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

212 degrees - The Extra Degree

As I get closer to my competition I want to share with you this video. The effort put forth to achieve my goals is on fire. I AM 212 degrees.... watch me burn. I burn with passion, fire, intensity, and love.