The Rest of the Experiment!

How is the experiment coming?  You have had 8 days to start thinking about what you want to eat and why you want to eat it.  You have had a change to identify your goals and state your hypothesis. You have also had hundreds of chances to drink more water.  If you have no idea what I am talking about, see the previous post; if you have been waiting for me to get to tomorrow, here we go!

"What do I want to eat?" The goal is set, the desired results are identified and you have told your household about what you are trying to accomplish.  Something like, "I don't want to gain 15 pounds this holiday season, so I am going to really think about what I eat in order to avoid the gain."  The more specific you are, the more likely you will experience results.  "I'm not going to eat so much," is not specific at all while "I intend to drink a glass of water each and every time I go to eat something good, bad or otherwise; I intend to eat foods that nourish my body, not feed my cravings; I intend to treat my body with respect and consideration, for I wish to be present and energized," is on the right track.  Again, writing it down will help you stay intentional.

What's next?  Step 3.  No denials.  You can eat anything you want!  Chocolate, fried chicken, bacon, whipped cream, steamed broccoli, beef brisket, roast duck and cranberry jelly are all allowed!  Denying yourself what you love and what is available only creates a sense of panic and a feeling of deprivation; we all know what happens then.  So instead of denying yourself your favorite treats and indulgences, change your dialogue.  "I can't have that," might turn into, "I don't want that right now because I know how I will feel after I eat it."  Or, you may talk in terms of balance.  A little meat, a little fat, a lot of veg, plenty of water, a touch of sweet, a little salt and a happy tummy.

Speaking of tummies, yours empty is about the size of your fist. The buffet plate is not. The last step in this simple experiment of identifying what you want to eat is being mindful of how much you are eating. Mindfulness comes in many forms: drinking water before a meal so your body has fluids to digest with; sitting down and still while you eat; chewing your food before you swallow it; being mindful of portion sizes and balance; listening to your body. Mindfulness isn't, "I'll walk it off later," for we never really walk it off later.

The experiment simplified:

1. State your intentions!
2. Write down, "What do I want to eat?" 
3. Pour a glass of water and drink it while you answer, "Why do I want to eat it?"
4. Do not deny yourself a food, just decide if it is worth the results before you commit.
5. Be mindful of how much, how often and how fast you eat. Your body will tell you what to put on the fork and when to put down the fork if you allow yourself time to listen.

If nothing else, eat real food, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins and remember to wash your hands.  

Health might actually be just that simple!

If you need help with this experiment, I am Your Health Coach!  

Focusing on a Little TLC~

The traditional application of TLC is Tender Loving Care.  I do not disagree with this idea, nor do I wish to replace it.  On Monday, however, I began this series to repurpose the acronym with a more concrete idea: Time, Love and Consistency.  Could this recipe help you reveal your most authentic, healthy self?  Only time will tell~

Today, let's stay in love~ Remember when you were a child and your whole life was about what you 'liked' and 'didn't like'?  Everything was questioned with this criteria in mind.  "Do you like broccoli?" "Do you like skirts or pants?"  Do you like dogs or cats?"  "Red or blue?" "Bikes or skateboards?" "Barbies or baseball?"  You were allowed to choose what you liked and people actually paid attention.  Now, as a grown person with a job and a mortgage and a societally driven priority list, your likes and loves are typically buried beneath a pile 'should-s'.

Well, dear reader, now is your chance to dig the list out from the bottom of the pile, dust that thing off and give it some loving attention.  What you love, what you like and what you would like to do with your life is more important than anything on the job-mortgage-responsibility list.  Attending to your 'love' exercises your purpose.  Just as a child stands up taller and more proud when asked what he or she 'likes', so can you by nurturing your loves.

I love to garden; I have a few flowers, tomato plants and herbs bordering the small patio attached to our rental.  I love food and wellness and a holistic approach to living; I am a Health Coach to continue learning and nurturing and living in that interest.  I love dogs and cats and have both trotting around the house.  And I love laughter and space;  my children and husband afford me both.  I, too, have a job and a mortgage and a societally influenced 'to-do' list, but those are beneath my loves, my likes and my purpose driven priorities.

You, too, can reorganize your list.  It may take time to rearrange priorities. Heck, it may time just to identify what your priorities look like when it comes to what you love.  While you breathe in the implications of this post, grab some real, whole, naturally occurring food.  While you explore your authentic desires, drink some clean, cool water.  While you jot down what you would love to do with your life, give your vitamins their vitamins.  Wash your hands of self neglect and spend some time in love with your life.  Your purpose is your greatest priority!

There's Something Healthy About a Big Ugly House!

In its day it was majestic.  A large colonial white home with 9 black shuttered windows on each face, two fireplaces holding the walls together, and a brick stoop providing two directions for entry.  Today, if you follow the private lane flanked with up-kept homes, deep swimming pools and modern cars to the end you will find a large boxy green shadow of what we are only left to imagine it was.  Our imaginations have a sense of humor.

There is a 19-forever-ago Cadillac Eldorado parked in the front yard and its competitor, a diesel Mercedes likely from the same decade, parked in the back (with a three car garage and a driveway fit for a Quinceanera, I'm surprised they missed their marks).  A 30 foot shed also resides on the property; its roof resides on the overflowing contents within.  Posts mark the border of what was once a kitchen garden and vines are digesting what was once a privacy fence.  Even the trees look like they are ignoring the house, for if they haven't been reduced to stumps they are leaning away as if seeking life from all other dwellings. But, in its day it was Majestic.

We intend to live there.  There is something beautifully healthy about a big ugly house.  Looking forward to bringing it back to life has taken our minds out of our current place and into our future home.  If you recall Mrs. Potts singing her directory to the dishes to clean the castle before dinner you'll have a good idea what we sound like here.  Our song has 'rid the termites' and 'install a heater', 'fix the plumbing' and 'order a dumpster' in the lyrics, but we are singing none the less.  Along with a door that must become a window and two garages of 'stuff' to redirect, it does come with a riding lawn mower (it is about the silver lining, after all...  ).

While imagining breakfast at the island and evenings around the fireplace, we are envisioning what will grow there.  Veggies, fruits and flowers for sure, but more than that I hope.  Our son will walk his first girlfriend home from school.  Our daughters will likely be kissed on the stoop.  My parents will take to rocking in patio chairs on warm evenings and cool mornings while smelling the brackish river water and listening to sneaky teenage preambles.  Will there be chickens pecking the ground?  Will we have bird feeders and bat houses and opossum traps?  Will we plant flowers in the Eldorado or just around the wheels?  A sense of humor indeed.

Vitamins do not live in this post, dear reader, nor do minerals or proteins or examples of sugar by grams, but something as important yet much less tangible is present: joy.  In place of food and water vitamins, the soul can be fed with holding onto joy or creating something joyous.  Because of my healthy imagination and an Eldorado as a guard dog, my soul, dear reader, is stuffed!  I am off to sing my song.... "Sweep the Chimneys!"~"Hang the Stormers."~"Burn the wood pile!"~"Swing the Hammers." "Fix the vent hood."~"Replace the toilets."~"Bring on the movers." Before I go, as always, remember to wash your hands.

Anna~

Life is Not About Finding Yourself!

Have you ever moved?  Packed your stuff in boxes, loaded them on a truck, prayed they arrived at your new address intact and rediscovered yourself in the process?  In the words of Mercer Mayer, "Me too!"  Come the winter, we will be following the process as a family for the sixth time in 14 years.  This next home has the potential to be our address for the next eight years and, though I am excited about that, I have no idea what it feels like to live within the same walls for more than three.  In the words of my daughter, "Wait... What?"

I have formulated my own very simple opinion about moving.  Everyone should pretend they are moving every six months or so.  (Ask any military spouse and they will agree whole heartedly.)  Sorting through closets, clearing out the attic spaces, shifting things around the garage and rearranging furniture not only helps pull the weeds, but renews the sense of 'home'.  My mother was always rearranging furniture; I think it was so she could vacuum new pieces of the carpet, but the house always felt 'better' after a good going through~

And then there is the internal furniture.  I remember a conversation with a dear friend of mine after she moved to a new state with her nearly new husband.  At that time I had moved 4 states and had some experience with the invisibility of it all.  She had expressed how she was having a tough time finding a place to belong to which I said, "The beauty of it is, moving allows you to not only let go of the furniture you dislike, it allows you to cast off the pieces of yourself you dislike living with. You have the chance to invent who you wish to be which will lead you to the places you belong."  George Bernard Shaw's more concise version wraps it up nicely, "Life is not about finding yourself, it's about creating yourself."

After we hear from the Realtor, I may be sooner to a road-trip to Virginia than later.  My husband can't go so soon, but I am hopefully going to have a few days of house-hunting to see where our furniture might fit.  My kids are saying "Me too?" and I am saying "Wait... What?" but even though it's a little scrambled and unfair, the excitement is intoxicating.  We all have a new sense of direction.  We have all been given the chance to recreate our purpose.  We all have the opportunity to pull the weeds.  And, as soon as we settle on a house, we'll have the chance to rearrange the furniture.

Before the trip, real food, lots of water, vitamins for my vitamins, and as always, clean hands - especially after the rest stops.

Anna~

A Calorie is Not an Ingredient!

Calorie; a unit of heat energy. Precicely: the energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water through 1 °C, often used to measure the energy value of foods (thank you internet).  A calorie is not what makes you fat, what makes you healthy or what makes you up. You are made of minerals, vitamins, fat, protein, acid, compounds made from those elements, and, most abundantly, water. Calories define how much energy you must create or expend in order to efficiently use what you consume. A calorie is not an ingredient.

Today, I saw two commercials that sparked the desire to define, again, what a calorie is and what it is not.  First, Pizza Hut is testing a 'Skinny Slice' of pizza; less dough and toppings and under 300 calories.  Nothing was mentioned about the preservatives in the dough, the chemical additives in the sauce or the artificial ingredients and sweeteners used when making this 'skinny' pizza; only the calorie count is marketed.

Next was a Dog Chow commercial appealing to owners of the overweight pooch.  'Light and Healthy' Dog Chow is now on the shelves, beside 'Light & Fit' and 'Science Diet Light Adult'.  Iams has its version, as do many other varieties.  Now, if your dog needs light dog food because he or she is overweight, calorie counting and portion control will not solve the problem.  Fido will only go from being overweight and full to overweight and starving, much like the easily convinced patron at the Pizza Hut counter dining on Skinny Pizza.

Pizza, to be clear, is not the problem.  Pizza can be a very delicious and healthy piece of the dietary pie.  Tomatoes, cheese, herbs and prepared sausages atop a chewy crust is part of our weekly menu, home-made or otherwise.  The problem is the focus on the Calorie Count.

The solution to the problem is defined in the definition above.  A calorie is the measurement of how much energy it takes to efficiently use what you consume.  Instead of feeding Fido 'Light & Fit' and dining on 'Skinny Slices' of pizza, find a way to create and expend energy so you may use the energy you have eaten!  Start with real food, wash it in with water, give your vitamins their vitamins and then put your dog on a short leash and take a nice long walk.  Your 'calories' will thank you!

Oh, and don't forget to wash your hands~

Anna~

There's Nothing Wrong with My Meal Plan!

I have been trying to get the shoes back in the closet, the laundry back in the drawers, the cans in the pantry, the meat in the freezer and the homework signed and in the corresponding backpack.  We are in the season of 'get our shit-together' and it's been a very messy process.  Each kid has been served with papers of every color and request from new, fairly organized teachers.  Their physicals are in, their teeth are clean, their backpacks are full, and my tank is empty.  Scott is out running a tri-Athelon today and I have only gotten out of bed once to refill my coffee.  (I can hear the kids laughing downstairs as I write.)

Two weeks into school and we are finally getting caught up.  The first week of school my Mother-in-Law was here, which literally saved our lives.  She made French Toast for breakfast on the first day of school, American Chop Suey for dinner (a New England Classic, I'm told), and helped keep the kids out and about while I conducted client calls and constructed emails.  That week was a patch work quilt of old, new, and fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants.

This last week was better. Scott made a fabulous steak and asparagus dinner on the weekend; a local butcher was involved.  I made something out of chicken pieces and a vegetable that I can't remember.  I finally shopped on Tuesday which yielded home made spaghetti sauce, stuffed peppers, roast chicken and quinoa, kielbasa and baked beans, and pork steaks with lots of green things.  Each night we enjoyed steamed veggies, butter, and oils, and each lunch was made from leftovers.  We even breakfasted on fruit, toast, eggs and yogurt with home-made granola.

All of this great food came in handy on Thursday as all 5 of us participated in the Run to Remember at 6 am... in the morning.  As I watched all of my children cross the finish line full minutes before I did on that 3 mile race, I, again, was reminded how much further I have to go in my 1/2 marathon training.  Some runs are really strong and consistent, others are defeating; all have been shorter than 13 miles.  After a great dinner tonight, I will put myself to bed in anticipation of running 10 miles tomorrow. I will sleep knowing the kids are so fantastic because I feed them so very well.

Even on weeks when we shop just before we eat, I know there is truly nothing wrong with my meal plan.   I know kielbasa isn't real food, but nearly everything else that lands on our plate is nourishing in one way or another.  The shoes will eventually land in the closet, the laundry will soon find its way out of the hamper, and the kids will always have things to return to their backpacks.  There will also always be Saturday mornings to lay in bed, and write, and sip coffee, and listen to the laughter from the kids.

And, as always, time to wash our hands.

Anna~

Throwback Thursday: Change Toward Balance!

Again, a season of change is upon us.  Children and teachers are soon to go back to school; the weather is soon to go back to cold; the holidays are soon to hit the market and department store shelves; the menu is soon to move from the grill to the oven.  Change can be a looming cloud avoided by ceilings and shutters or can be welcomed with love and gratitude.  I'll throw this back to September 26, 2013, for further illumination.

Throwback Thursday:  Change Toward Balance.

Homeostasis; the tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, esp. as maintained by physiological processes (good ol' Webster's Dictionary). Balance. An equal relationship between give and take, exercise and ease, joy and judgement, work and play, food and elimination. What goes in must come out! What goes up must come down! One hand washes the other!    So why does the word 'balance' stress us out?

The first response to change, or to the suggestion that balance is needed, is naturally defensive.  "My house is in order, I just had a stressful week!  Normally, everything is fine!"  Self reflection might reveal no time for breakfast, two bowel movements a week, poor sleep and a hectic work or education schedule leaving very little time for play, but if that is 'normal' then everything might very well be perceived as fine.  We all defend our existence, our choices, our position in the world we live within.  In fact, it would be abnormal if we didn't.  It is important, though, to identify what we are defending.

The second response to change is naturally resistance.  If the life lived now is normal, no matter how dissatisfying, changing it means unsteadying the ship.  There is comfort in expectation; knowing what will happen if you do what is expected, or knowing what will happen if you don't.  Sometimes resistance occurs simply because of fear of what is unknown, which is where the statement, "That is the way I've always done it!" comes from.  Change toward balance means learning a new behavior or recipe or routine which might make you nervous.  It might be important to evaluate why feeling nervous, nervous meaning a feeling of unease or apprehension, is equated with 'bad'.

The third response to a suggestion of change is feeling overwhelmed.  "If I change this, then I have to change that, which means others will be effected and I might face adversity, which will cause me stress and unease so I will just keep things they way they are no matter how dissatisfying they are to me."  Chances are, if your surroundings and routine are dissatisfying to you, they are likely dissatisfying to the others directly effected by the current state of 'normal'.  Let me assure you, dear reader, change toward balance is not as overwhelming and stressful as you imagine.   Change toward balance is actually stress relieving, time freeing and love making!  

Here is how to begin: Add something and discontinue believing that change means taking something away.  Change toward balance is not a graduation from a bottle to a cup, a pacifier to a blanket, a blanket to a big-kid-bed, a hall-light to a night-light.  Change toward balance is the antithesis to the child instilled meaning of change, or graduation from the known to the new unknown.  Change toward balance is the act of mindfully and intentionally adding what you intelligently identify as absent, which in effect balances the boat.  While you digest the thought, eat real, naturally occurring foods, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands. That's a good balance!

Anna~

If you would like a coach to support you through this season of change, schedule a free consultation with me today and we'll identify how to get started!  Anna Burrill, Your Health Coach!

Assembly Complete: "It Looks Like a Rope!"

Every day I wake up to three kids holding down the sofas watching a Netflix selection as the sun breaks the horizon.  Someone makes breakfast, someone else feeds the dogs, another does the dishes and one of us begins the directives.  Although it is typically a mildly choreographed interpretive dance, I usually get roped into more than I bargained for.  Do I mind?  Not really...  because I have learned to say, "No."

Saying "No." is a tool used too little, but not here.  Boundaries are plentiful and not too often blurred.  The word 'Rules' is a positive one, instead of imposed with a negative tone.  Schedules have become tangible guidelines for the day instead of invisible, unwritten wishes.  When no boundaries exist and no schedules are written, 'Yes' feels like the only option, and where there is a resistant 'yes' there is a rope.

Ropes, in this metaphor, are the options.  Baked or fried, date night or leftovers, water or soda, walking or driving, staying or going, beach or pool, TV or board games;  options are everywhere.  The great news, dear reader, is that when faced with options you have the power to choose.  You decide what goes in the cart, on the schedule, in your coffee, on your body, and what you want.  You.  Without the strength to say 'No', without boundaries and rules, without a plan, you leave yourself open to get roped into anything.

How is this related to food, health, wellness and vitamins?  You decide.  Can you find nourishing foods if you don't know where the snakes lie?  Can you overcome exercise pitfalls if you don't know where your walls are?  Can you declare your intentions if you don't know what you stand for?  Is it possible to eat real food if you get roped into Bisquick and cereal?  Can you find your purpose if you don't know what you are a fan of?

Assembling your elephant might take more than three weeks; in fact, it might take the rest of your life.  During assembly, be sure to eat real food, to drink plenty of water and to give your vitamins their vitamins.   And, as always, remember to wash your hands; construction can be an awfully dirty thing.  

Anna~

Thank you for following me through this series!

Assembling Your Elephant: "It Looks Like a Fan!"

Julie Andrews is ringing in my ears right now. "Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens. Brown paper packages tied up with string." Today I ask, 'What are a few of your favorite things?' Identifying what you are a Fan of is the next piece of the Elephant.

Be a fan of your food: Thirteen essential vitamins exist in nature and are required by the human body; they are are essential because they cannot be made within the body and are needed for immune function, growth, hormone production, digestion, cellular respiration and many other secret activities that take place under the skin. Getting those vitamins out of nature and into your body is key. Salads, for sure, are easy go-to assemblies of vitamins and minerals, but if you don't like the garden variety salad, it's probably not on your menu. Take a moment and think about vitamin packed foods you not only like, but will actually eat. Simplify your grocery list by purchasing fan favorites and then... eat them. (An incomplete list of Nutrient Dense foods can be found here.)

Be a fan of your movement: Interest in exercise in individual. While I like to run, my son likes to rollerblade. While Cadence likes to pedal her way around the world, Kendra likes to chase a soccer ball. While my husband is swimming and biking and running to the base and beyond, I am gardening, cleaning and walking beside the dog(s). We all know we need to move around in order to create and expend energy; it's time to stop waiting for Monday and decide what type of exercise you are a fan of. And then... go do it! Don't worry about all of the days you didn't do it, just seize the moment and work it out!

Be a fan of your work: My job is not a singular one. I am a mother. Wife. Health Coach. Teacher Assistant. Student. Friend. Family Traveler. Wine enthusiast. Just like you, I have many things I work at on a daily basis; things I have chosen and that I love to nurture (me, kids, gardens, etc.). There are also things I am not a fan of. Instead of dwelling on things I dislike (dirty toilets, bills, the post office), I have identified what I love and have willingly focused the bulk of my energy on those things. Now is the time for you, dear reader, to decide if you are a fan of your work! If you are not, ask, "What am I a fan of?" and then... be it!

Be a Fan of Your Elephant:  Dear reader, you have followed me along this path of Assembling Your Elephant with dedication and interest, and I thank you.  So far I've rambled on about walls, snakes, trees, spears and fans, and hope you have taken something away that has helped you assemble your elephant.  My final post in this series will be Wednesday.  Before then, please send me a picture (literary articulate description or photo) of your elephant.  I would love to include reader photos and comments, with your permission of course, in the final post.

While you craft or photoshop, eat real food, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands.  

Anna~

Comment or send your thoughts and photos to anna@infiveparagraphsorless.com.  Thanks!

Assembling Your Elephant: "It Looks Like a Spear!"

Half of your elephant is already assembled.  Walls have been recognized and established;  excuses, obstacles and roadblocks exposed.  You have decided what your tree looks like; what you stand for with respect to your individual purpose.  You have also identified your snakes; devious ingredients, poisonous menus, self doubt and the like, and life itself.  The next piece of the elephant the blind man revealed is the spear.  It's time to lance the boil, dear reader; it's time.

Too often we hide behind the 'it's the way we've always done it' mentality.  I do it.  I am sure you do it as well.  "I have always always had that."  "I have always done that."  "I am not a morning person."  "I don't do windows."  "This is the way I've always done it."  The parameters we assign to ourselves are safety nets utilized when fear or nervousness is felt.  The unknown is certainly a scary place!  But returning to the same old parameters every time you are faced with a new situation, a dangerous invitation or an elephant in the room requires nothing of you.  No growth.  No insight.  No trust.  No faith.  No intuition.  No light.  Nothing.

If that is true, then the results will never be different either.  "I wish that work wasn't so stressful."  "I wish I had more time with my family."  "I wish money wasn't so tight."  "I would give anything for a vacation."  "I don't know why I can't get things done."  "Why is this happening to me?"  To be quite honest, dear reader, the answer to it all is usually, "Because this is the way you've always done it."  You can't expect change if you change nothing.

Growth, in its simplest definition means to get bigger.  I am not suggesting you need to expand your physical presence, but it might be delicious to expand your life's presence.  How?  Lance the boil!  Grab ahold of your spear and slice through your safely placed parameters.  Instead of relying on the same old actions, delivering the same old results, give yourself permission to move beyond your boundaries.  Redefine what it is you want to become and grow into it!

Now, just as the elephant is assembled from six different perspectives, so are you the sum of your parts; a holistic being.  Whatever it is you have decided to grow into, eat real food, give yourself plenty of water, nourish your parts with vitamins and, because lancing boils can be a bloody mess, remember to wash your hands.  If this isn't the way you've always done it you are on the right track!

Happy Lancing!

Anna~

Fine tuning your life takes consistent practice.  If you are out of practice and want to break free from years of bad habits and stagnant behavior, I can coach you thru it.  Visit Anna Burrill, Your Health Coach to schedule a free consultation with me today.  

Assembling your Elephant: "It Looks Like a Snake!"

Snakes: a long limbless reptile that has no eyelids, a short tail, and jaws that are capable of considerable extension. Some snakes have a venomous bite. - Thank you Dictionary.  Snakes can be brightly colored and obvious or hidden within their surroundings.  Snakes can be beautiful and intriguing or can be defensive and dangerous.  Snakes can be larger than life or barely noticeable.  No matter their shape, size, coloration or demeanor, all snakes are sneaky.

There are several ways we can apply this to your Elephant.  Let's begin with diet.  Within your diet are sneaky ingredients that can sabotage even the most ambitious efforts.  Aspartame and the like.  High fructose corn syrup. Artificial colors and flavors. Sugar.  Nitrates.  Sulfites. Tartrazine. Sodium benzoate.  Even ingredients like E1520 and E620 are snuck in to assist with color, flavor or shelf life.  These all but invisible ingredients (dozens more exist) are found within packaged, processed foods products conveniently designed and marketed as natural or healthy.  What is E1520 anyway? 

There are larger, more obvious food snakes as well. Soda.  Ice cream. Fast-Food.  Luncheon meat.  Breakfast cereal.  Powdered cheese sauce.  Minute rice.  Canned fruit.  Bagels.  Microwaveable vegetable pouches.  Bread. Turkey Bacon (I know I probably lost a few readers on that one).  Many of these foods are relatively fine all by themselves if eaten once a month or when in a bind, but if your menu is breakfast cereal and canned fruit for breakfast, a cold cut sandwich with a soda for lunch, and minute rice with steamed, microwaved veggies for dinner and ice cream for dessert, you may be sabotaging your health without even knowing it.  

Snakes mightn't be food at all but sneaky behaviors that derail even the most determined train.  Self doubt.  Complacency.  Comparison to others.  Excuses.  Denial.  Fear.  These mind sets sneak in and with considerable extension smother determination, dreams, goals, interest, passion, purpose, growth, life and possibility.  Sometimes it happens so invisibly over time that it isn't recognized until  a bottom is found.  The good news is that at any moment you have the ability and courage within you to rid yourself of the snake.  It may take more than one foul swoop, but it is possible.  

Start with real food.  Foods without labels make great snake repellents.  Give your vitamins their vitamins by eating many colors and textures and flavors.  Wash it all in with water.  And, because snakes have a musky odor, remember to wash your hands. 

How is your Elephant coming along?

Share your story, ask your questions, or report your progress below.  I would love to have a conversation with you!

Anna~

Assembling Your Elephant: "It Looks Like A Tree!"

Just to the left of the fence around the yard is a grand tree.  In the spring it buds full in pink flowers followed by pink foliage and then, delicately, everything turns green.  The neighborhood is filled with them actually.   In the summer they are noticed for their shade, in the fall they are a nuisance for their leaves, in the winter they are feared when covered with ice amidst the wind, but in the spring they are a great source of pleasure.  Large living chameleons able to provide shade, shelter, protection, stability, enjoyment, and satisfaction gracefully, beautifully, rhythmically.    

I maybe should have started with this one.  Finding health, or finding ways to be more healthy, or finding reasons why you aren't as healthy as you'd like, starts with defining your tree.  You embody all of the properties found in the trees about my yard.  I am not sure why I thought to start with a Wall that may be in your way before I asked you to appreciate your Tree, except for the fact that
John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887) said it must be so.  If that were my reason, however, this post would be about a Spear. I digress~

You, to the point, are a tree.  Assembling your elephant, I remind you, is to look at your life as a sum of its parts.  A whole.  You are the center of that whole.  Everything that happens to you or about you matters when it comes to your health.  It matters little how you look in comparison to others; less how others look at you; and, least, your size.  A tree does not face a storm comparing itself to other trees, nor does it grow or shrink or hide away from controversy; it simply stands with flexibility and patience and acceptance of the storm.  

I remember Shel Silverstein's book vividly when I think of trees; giving every last bit of themselves to make others happy.  Imagine if we were so wise.  To give what we wanted instead of demanding our desires.  To apply ourselves when solving problems instead of waiting on the riverbank for someone else to fetch a floatation device.  To reach up for more light and clean air and new rain instead of waiting for service and air conditioning and a turn in the shower.  To give in order to be happy.  Period.

You are a large, living chameleon able to provide shade, shelter, protection, stability, enjoyment, and satisfaction gracefully, beautifully, rhythmically.   You are already in possession of beauty, and grace and strength.  You already possess gifts ready to be given and knowledge ready to be shared.  The only things that can make you more complete and able are real food, plenty of water, and nature's vitamins.  But, just remember, before you approach the world with a broad reach, remember to wash your hands.

Anna~

Assembling Your Elephant: "It Looks Like a Wall!"

Every time I start something new it's exuberayting, and then, three or four days later, boredom sets in.   If I get past the first few weeks, which I often do, I hit a wall, take a break, feel defeated and deflated,  then I start something else.  (I'm sure this only happens to me.)  Walls.  The great thing about them is they usually contain a window or lead to a doorway; I am learning to utilize the exits.

Walls exist, I believe, only because I want them to.  I dislike running with almost as much energy as it takes me to run.  Because of this, I use a 'wall' as an excuse to discontinue or to take a break.  To overcome it, I bought a number made of paper so I may pin it to my chest and run thirteen miles as a motivator not to quit.

The same for writing.  I love to write and think on paper but I use a 'wall', writers block, as an excuse not to be successful.  The truth is that I always have something to write about; there is always a  vitamin to describe, a dose of food for thought or encouragement to deploy.  Instead of following through on self-set goals, I procrastinate.  I am in my own way a lot more than I should be, it's true, and often my excuse is a 'wall'.

What I am coming to realize, though, is that walls aren't permanent.  They can be taken down.  A window can be added.  A wide handicap accessible doorway can be created.  If one cannot be removed, it can be painted a beautiful color and used to hang a mirror.  Walls are useful when providing support, necessary separation and privacy, but they are not unsurpassable for sure.

I encourage you, dear reader, to decide for yourself what purpose your walls have.  Are they keeping you from a goal?  Deterring you from success?  Separating you from what you desire?  Or are they beautiful places utilized for reflection and reprieve?  While you begin to decipher the purpose of your wall, grab some real, delicious, naturally occurring food.  Wash it in with a tall glass of water.  Give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands.

Note:  Walls should not be mistaken for Stop Signs.

Anna~

If you wish for help assembling your elephant, I can help~  The only things we are truly meant to do alone are poop and play solitaire.  For everything else, hire a Health Coach!  www.nutritionalcadence.com

I Love Hippocrates!

So I've been experimenting with a fast.  You know, the kind where you go for several hours without eating and the foods that are eaten are very specific in their nutritional value?  This is not a religious endeavor, or even a weight loss endeavor, but instead a process by which to reboot.  Its been working really, really well.

I love elimination diets.  I believe whole heartedly in giving the body chance to heal, by itself, with support of good food and whole nutrition.  Elimination diets serve that purpose to a T.  By taking away five major food categories, the body can begin to stop reacting to the fuel and experience relief and nourishment (eggs, wheat, soy, dairy and sugar, if you must know).  For the past few days I have made disciplined efforts to remove a few, not all five, of those food groups in order to experiment with how my body feels without them.

Fasting, along with eliminating large groups of food, allows the body to do several innate things.  Stored fuel is utilized, the metabolism speeds up then slows to a crawl to conserve energy.  Hormones are triggered that might otherwise be dormant and other hormones are given a reprieve, namely insulin.  Fat is used and with that toxins are released, then processed by the body (not necessarily a good thing).  Awareness becomes keen.

I have chosen to eat veggies, whole fruits and brown rice during my fast.  I have chosen to eat egg whites for breakfast, early, and then fast until 6 for dinner when said veggies and rice are consumed.  I have enjoyed water, tea, coffee and vitamins, along with a probiotic to support my body while the toxin release takes place.  Though I've been a bit crabby, I have enjoyed the quick results of giving my body a break.

It isn't a miracle when our bodies heal by way of food, water and vitamins; it is our inheritance.  Hippocrates said, "If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health."  I know that I, often times, have too much food and not enough exercise.  By way of real food, plenty of water, vitamins for my vitamins and sneakers, I intend to find my safest way to health.  Will you join me?

Anna~

Visit www.nutritionalcadence.com to schedule a consultation with me about elimination diets and what one might do for you.

A Wedding, a Party and a New Career!

I have a mind full of ideas and an unsupportive calendar; a very frustrating combination.  School will be up in a few short months and its time for me to leap out of the nest as a health coach.  My website is done but not quite public (www.nutritionalcadence.com will be redirected once I hit the 'publish' button); I have a Mail Chimp account set up in order to publish newsletters, but no audience to send it to; I even have an event topic to comprise and advertise, but for the next few weeks I am booked with other events.  I am bursting at the seems and ready to jump the gate.

First on the agenda, other than the list mentioned above, is clients.  Currently, I have very successful, very inspiring clients that teach me every day why I love this work and what I have yet to learn.  They are incredible, hard working, ready and willing participants in their own lives.  I work with my clients to discover an effective balance between stress, sleep, nourishment, nutrition, relationships and self care.  I have room on my calendar for 11 clients starting in July.

Next on the agenda is marketing.  I am a baby in the big world of business and, because of my lack of experience, I am looking to social media for marketing.  I have a Facebook page titled, Anna Burrill, Your Health Coach, that I plan on updating regularly;  my regular profile is also open to followers in case my audience wants to get to know me and my madness on more of a personal level.  My Newsletter, word of mouth and this blog will be my biggest advertisers.

Also, I am working on a series called "Assembling Your Elephant!"  You have all heard the story of the six blind men and the elephant, right?  Your health is much like the elephant in the story.  Health is not just food.  It is not just exercise.  It is not just time management, sleep and participating in the world around you.  Each of these parts deserve attention and effort, but if only one part is addressed, health cannot be had.  On Monday the assembly begins.

I have traveling coming up for a wedding at the end of the month and, this Friday, a party!  And then...  the beginning of a career!

You know what to do~

Anna

If you would like to learn how I can coach you toward your best health, contact me at anna.burrill@me.com.  You can also visit www.nutritionalcadence.com to learn more about my approach, my training and my mission!

"What Have You Done For Me Lately?"

Okay, now I would never directly discourage you away from the computer, for that would lead you away from my message, but time in front of the computer hardly qualifies as exercise.  I spend about 90 minutes a day in front of some sort of screen (computer, television, e-book) and the more I do, the less motivated I feel to do anything else.  But two days ago, as I sat on my couch with my computer in my lap, my husband called and, after reporting his 40 mile bike ride and 9 mile run, suggested a blog post title:  'What have you done for your body lately?'  I could only reply with this:  "Good Question?"

I am training for a half marathon in October.  Running, for me, is no swift task.  I use my calves more than my thighs, I can't quite get my hips to swing, I have a moderately strong core and lack a competitive instinct.  So, I tabata every morning, run three times a week and focus on my goal and will to accomplish it.  But, even though it's hard and laborious and uncomfortable, I know I am doing my body good by moving toward a goal that will take me 13.1 miles around the earth (the .1 is the most important piece).

Also, for my body, I aim to balance what I eat with what I crave.  My cravings change as swiftly as the days and as gracefully as the seasons, and I listen to them.  I eat sweet things, salty things, fatty things, fried things and savory things.  I drink coffee and water and wine.  I sleep when I'm tried and linger when I'm feeling lazy.  I also recognize when my hunger has nothing to do with food.  My body and my mind don't always ask for the same things, but when I listen I can usually pick out the wiser voice and the instructions I receive are delicious.

So, I ask you the same question, as you sit on your bottom with your computer on your lap, "What have you done for your body lately?"  The defensive answers will sound something like: "I had salad!" - "I took time to read Anna's blog." - "I didn't eat the last two pieces of cake." - "I walked the dog."  I am not interested in those answers, and neither should you be.  The most interesting and informative answers won't be answers at all; they will be goals, aspirations, and attainable dreams fueled by the will achieve them.

I don't always eat real food, I don't always drink enough water, and I don't always get all my vitamins in.  What I can say is I always listen to my body and make every effort to decipher the questions and requests correctly.  I have washed my hands of what the world says I 'should do' and have successfully become aware of what my body needs and desires.  When my body asks, "What have you done for me lately?" I contemplatively respond, "Good Question!"

Anna~

A Balance of Vegetables and Common Sense

Friday; the day of the week following Thursday falling before Saturday. (I love literal definitions of words.) On Thursday I clean, on Friday I plan, on the weekend I play... Today, sitting in a tidy living room, I planned the next seven days of food.  Here's what is on our menu:

Chicken Caesar Wraps with Grapes.     
Hamburgers and Dogs with Pasta Salad
Basil Chicken over Rice with Broccoli 
Ham with Roast Potatoes, Asparagus and Burst Tomatoes
Fried Chicken with Corn, Peas, Slaw and Baked Beans
Beef Roast and Tomatoes with Carrots over Rice
Corn Chowder with Crisp Romaine Green Leafy Salad

The kids entertained me this morning with their requests and I listened to every word.  "Fried Chicken?  Sure, but you have to choose something healthy to go with it."
"Baked Beans?  Yes, but I am going to make them; we aren't eating them from a tin can."
"Corn Chowder?  Okay, but choose a veggie to eat along side so it's not so heavy," to which I got the reply, "How about we use up the caesar salad from the wraps?"  Smart kids.  Each menu selection was balanced with vegetables and common sense; a delicious combination.

There's a theory out there that eating food should be an enjoyable experience.  I love that theory~

Eat real food, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands, especially after you eat fried chicken. ;)

Break-Up with Sugar Series:

Let's wrap this thing up, shall we?  This break-up has taken long enough!

Remember that 'significant other' from yesteryear?  The one who mistreated you and misunderstood your desires? Who ignored your needs and took advantage of your gifts?  The one who seduced you with momentary glimpses of the possibility of acceptance, love, interest and investment?  Who felt so good and so frustratingly horrid to love?  The forbidden lover from the other side of the tracks who had very few good intentions and countless negative side-effects?  That, dear reader, is sugar.

When sugar is consumed, the brain lights up.  Dopamine is released on the brain and 'love' is felt.  Joy.  Elation.  Relaxation.  At times, euphoria is experienced.  Sugar is a substance the brain becomes addicted to and dependent on in order to feel good or at ease.  There is a stress cycle connected to many or most addictive behaviors that is best derailed by abruptly changing course, taking action, and embracing change.  Dr. Mercola provides dozens of articles on sugar and its side-effects, but if information really derailed addictive behaviors, we wouldn't be having this conversation.  

So tactics have to be deployed.  When I broke ties with the forbidden lover from the other side of the tracks, I burned all the of the old photographs, discard the letters, deleted his phone number, rearranged the furniture, bought new sheets and underthings, and spent more time with friends.  Crowding sugar out of the diet takes just as many tactics, drastic or otherwise.  

What are this tactics?  We have already discussed a few:

• Be aware of how much sugar you are eating; set yourself up for 24 grams of added sugar or less (I advise my clients and kids to aim for 12 or less).
• Replace processed foods with their real counterparts: fruit snacks with fruit; mac'n cheese with cheese and good quality pasta; fruit juice with fruit infused water; soda with sparkling water; table sugar with raw honey.
• Choose naturally sweet foods to satisfy cravings; fruit, sweet potatoes, peas, carrots, hummus, bell peppers and dark chocolate are good places to start.
• Rearrange the pantry.  Read labels, throw out expired goods, donate unwanted items, and move the healthiest options front and center.  
• Change behaviors to battle cravings.  Nothing changes if nothing changes.

Breaking up with sugar is an individual choice and can be a cold turkey effort or a gradual, surgical process.  While you decide what action steps you can take to crowd sugar out, grab a plate of sweet, delicious, naturally occurring food.  Drink water.  Seek vitamins.  Wash your hands of adhering to someone else's diet and aim for what works for you.  Just make sure you aren't working for sugar.

Anna~

If you would like more information on how to find your perfect diet, schedule a consultation with me today.  www.nutritionalcadence.com

Break-Up With Sugar Series:

"If you are constantly receiving deliveries, you cannot relax, you cannot disassemble stored goods, and you cannot access the furniture." me 

A friend of mine recently asked me about the relationship between cholesterol and diet. She is thoughtful and contemplative about taking a Lipitor like drug to reduce elevated cholesterol. I offered a handful of advice including reading labels, avoiding dried fruit, minimizing animal based foods and watching sugar intake. She admitted her dislike toward reading food labels and examining ingredients for reasons we didn't discuss. I then simplified things: "Buy and eat foods without labels."

When reducing sugar, just like reducing cholesterol, eliminating foods with labels is quite possibly a most effective practice. Instead of a boring science lesson, imagine you've moved. On the day the truck arrives with all of your belongings, multiple people scurry in and out of the truck and deliver goods to different rooms of your house. There is a rush to unpack the kitchen and the coffee maker, a scramble to find the kids underwear and favorite stuffed animals, and a last hoorah at the end of the day to make the beds with at least a fitted sheet if the flat can't be found. 

Back in context, the moving truck is your meal, the coffee maker, sheets and underwear are the sugars, and the rush, scurry, and scramble is your insulin response. Sugar, especially refined, easily accessed, high glycemic load sugar, requires a long and fast insulin response from your pancreas. Simplified, insulin moves fuel, sugar and nutrients to the cells of your body for storage or for consumption during and after meals. 

Only when insulin is turned off and inactive within the body, can other hormones access stored sugars and fats for fuel ~or~ Only when the moving truck pulls away and you are sure all of your belongings are back in your possession can you relax and slowly disassemble the boxes and access the furniture. The problem with sugar is this: If you are constantly receiving deliveries, you cannot relax, you cannot disassemble stored goods, and you cannot access the furniture. 

Real foods offer a diverse amount of sugar, fat, carbs, nutrients and protein in tasty, recognizable packages. Chips, breakfast cereal, soda, Aunt Jemima, Hamburger Helper and Skippy aren't real foods. Instead choose roast sweet potatoes, eggs, water, maple syrup, grass fed beef tips and peanuts for all of the flavor, a fraction of the sugar and thrice the benefits. While you're at it, make sure to give your vitamins their vitamins, wash your hands and think of this:

“Some of the largest companies are now using brain scans to study how we react neurologically to certain foods, especially to sugar. They've discovered that the brain lights up for sugar the same way it does for cocaine.” ― Michael Moss


Anna~

Throw Back Thursday: Sweet Information

Sweet Information from August 22, 2013

My sister tried a few recipes and suggestions from this week's posts and the results were not 100% satisfactory.  To be completely truthful, I don't eat yogurt.  I love to smear it on my face to eat away dead skin and moisturize like none other, but to eat?  My taste buds are not of the yogurt loving variety. So, when I suggested eating plain, unsweetened yogurt and adding real fruit, my sister took my advice (for on that matter I can't take my own).  "It was very bitter," she reported.  "I think next time I will add some honey."

Honey.  Other than a sweet, sweet flavor, did you know that honey has benefits? (If you saw The Rachael Ray Show yesterday, you do.)  Natural news sums it up beautifully:

"Raw honey has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties. It promotes body and digestive health, is a powerful antioxidant, strengthens the immune system, eliminates allergies, and is an excellent remedy for skin wounds and all types of infections. Raw honey's benefits don't stop there. Raw honey can also stabilize blood pressure, balance sugar levels, relieve pain, calm nerves, and it has been used to treat ulcers. Raw honey is also an expectorant and anti-inflammatory and has been known to effectively treat respiratory conditions such as bronchitis and asthma.

Raw honey is an alkaline-forming food that contains natural vitamins, enzymes, powerful antioxidants and other important natural nutrients. These are the very nutrients that are destroyed during the heating and pasteurization process. In fact, pasteurized honey is equivalent to and just as unhealthy as eating refined sugar."  (Learn more at Natural News.) 

Not all honey on the shelves is the same.  Look at the bear in your pantry for words like 'unprocessed', 'raw', 'unfiltered', 'natural' and 'unheated'.  Not there?  The shelves of your supermarket will have the refined and raw varieties; next time you shop, take a look.  You'll find raw honey from select flowers and bouquets.  Then, when you add fruit to plain yogurt and it's still a bit bitter you can drizzle in the benefits of honey!  Isn't that sweet?

Enjoy real food. Drink plenty of water.  Give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands.

Anna~

Break-Up With Sugar Series:

It's not the Sugar we Battle - It's the Cravings!

Sugar.  The plain simple truth is this: the human body needs and runs on sugar.  We have already decided, along with the good advice of the AHA, that women should consume 25 grams, men 37, or less on a daily basis. One soda, a fruit juice box, one thick and creamy yogurt, one fudge pop tart or a single serving of Mott's applesauce rings the bell.  Because that much sugar resides in such small packages, and because the human body runs on sugar, it takes a conscious effort to break out of the sugar cube fortress.

Sugar cravings come from many places.  Mental anguish.  Physical exhaustion.  Emotional stress.  Sleep deprivation.  Joy.  Routine.  Convenience.  Ancient History.  There are no known sweet foods on the planet that are poisonous, which means we, as a species, evolved with a common thread; the proverbial sweet tooth.  Craving something sweet is inherent, but craving Mountain Dew for breakfast and seeking an afternoon sugar buzz is something else.

You and I both know how to reduce our sugar intake; simple math on that one.  The trouble comes in when we have to battle our sugar cravings.  I rely on the saying, 'nothing changes if nothing changes'. If you buy the same treats and place them in the same cabinets; if you purchase the same sugary drinks and fill the same shelves in the fridge; if you pattern your day with the same old sugar dependent rhythm, your sugar cravings will not change.  Cravings can only be undone when something changes or something new is introduced.  Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes.

Today you can change one thing.  You can replace one soda with an herbal tea or lemon water.  You can go for a brisk walk to invigorate your body to replace the afternoon candy bar.  You can replace one treat for a banana.  Instead of saying 'can't have,' replace those words with 'why do I want?'  Have a conversation with yourself to decide what is worth your 25 grams in sugar and what is not!

The best way to remove added sugar from your diet is to eat foods without labels.  Real foods not only offer the blood sugar our bodies so readily require (especially us busy moms and military wives), but they provide nourishment as well.  You can't find nourishment in a sugar cube.

You know what to do.

Anna~

'Break-Up with Sugar' Series:

First Thing's First:  How Much Sugar Are You Eating?

Today, a hot lunch served in the lunchroom at my school, a lunch lunch containing only cold food items, ironically enough, contained 66 grams of sugar.  Sixty-Six.  A single strawberry Dannon yogurt, a 1% milk fat string-cheese stick, a single serving bowl of Total Raisin Bran with a cup (8 oz) of 1% White or Nonfat Chocolate milk, and Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Giant Grahams for dessert. Sixty-Six grams of sugar for lunch.

How much sugar should you be eating?  The answer, of course, depends.  There are natural sugars, like those found in bananas, honey and milk, and there are added sugars, like those found in Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Giant Grahams.  Real food deserves consideration for balancing sugar intake on the whole, but processed foods are the real culprit when it comes to a diet too sweet to be true.


"The maximum amount of added sugars you should eat in a day are: Men: 150 calories per day (37.5 grams or 9 teaspoons). Women: 100 calories per day (25 grams or 6 teaspoons)." Dr. Oz, CNN, AHA, Men's Health, Woman's Day...  you name it, they all refer to the American Heart Association's recommendation.  Surpassing the recommended sugar intake limit is awfully easy to do.

Where is added sugar found?  Everywhere.  The spoonful in your coffee, the syrup on your pancakes, the popsicles in your freezer, the peanut butter in your pantry, and in every other processed food package marketed with cheap prices and coupons to boot.  Look on the label or for words that end in 'ose'.

While you are raiding your pantry to add up your sugar intake for the day, grab an apple.  Drink some water or herbal tea.  Eat foods that give your vitamins their vitamins.  Wash your hands of marketed, mass produced, pre-packaged food stuffs and get back to what nature knows best.

Tomorrow, the break-up process begins!

Throwback Thursday: Is Your Morning a Good Place to Start?

From October 19, 2013:

We all have a wake-up routine.  Some hit the alarm and optimistically hop in the shower.  Some take a few moments in bed, then move to the coffee machine for motivation.  Others move from the mattress to meditation or prayer to begin their day with enlightenment and joy.  There are also those that wake with yesterday's burdens and haul them around with sadness and disdain as they move from task to task.  Then, there are those that treat each morning anew with no rigid pattern or playbook, embracing whatever the day has to offer.  No matter your routine, let's all take a look to see what is working and what isn't~

Sleep.  The morning, whether we realize it or not, should begin with sleep.  Typical adults hit the sheets between 10 and 11 pm and wake between 5 and 6 am.  Sleep starts when you close your eyes and deepens over the hours of slumber.  Relaxation turns to light sleep, then deep sleep, then REM sleep with stages of transition between.  If sleep is interrupted (children, stress, sadness, aches, pains) or inhibited (alcohol or caffeine, light or noise) then deep sleep and REM cannot be reached leaving your body sleep deprived and tired.  If your alarm clock has to sound several times to kick you out of bed your 'sleep' may not be working. 

Water.  The average male should consume nearly 3 liters of water daily; women should exceed 2 liters.  Too little water causes a myriad of problems, and, most times, these problems aren't consciously associated with dehydration.  Obvious dehydration symptoms are headaches, dry, cracked lips, and limp skin.  Sleepiness, moodiness, and fogginess are also direct symptoms of dehydration.  More complex symptoms include thickened blood resulting in higher blood pressure, sluggish digestion (constipation, lack of hunger, cramps), muscle soreness and stress.  We treat symptoms individually with corresponding medications or applications when most can be remedied with water.  Instead of applying lotion to your skin, caffeine to your catatonic, and Motrin to your muscles, start your morning with water and continue the trend all day long.  Tomorrow you may notice your 'morning' working better.

Nutrition.  A doughnut, no matter how you slice it, is not nutritious.  So many breakfast foods are sugar slathered and seductive, but you, with brains in your head, know that though the body runs on 'sugar', it can not be nourished by it.  Bread, bagels, doughnuts, muffins, pastries, rolls, scones, potatoes, pancakes and waffles, syrup included, are all recognized by the body as sugar.  Refined, simple, straight to the bloodstream sugar.  What else is there?  Eggs.  Vegetables.  Fruit.  Whole grains.  Dairy.  That doesn't mean you should grab a V8 and a Danimals yogurt, for many 'healthy' concoctions are loaded with added sugar, added salt and added artificial ingredients.  It does mean vegetable juice and minimally processed dairy foods, whole fruits, grains, nuts, seeds, and protein are better choices than doughnuts.  Nourish your body with nutrition and it will work and sleep and think well!

Too many changes?  Can't give up the doughnut?  Don't have any more hours to dedicate to sleep?  Start with drinking water.  Pour a pitcher equalling a liter of water and leave it on your counter or desk.  Make sure your glass is always half full until it is gone!  (Then repeat!)  When hunger comes, choose real, delicious, whole foods.  Don't be afraid to give your vitamins their vitamins.  And, before you go to sleep, wash your hands of all the mistakes and regrets so that your morning is good place to start!

Anna~

A Hodge-Podge and a Patchwork Quilt

I signed up for a 1/2 marathon.  I have ran 6 miles in the last two days on my way to training for October's event; six miles that took me over 70 minutes to cover.  My legs aren't terribly sore, my ego isn't terribly bruised, my goal isn't terribly scary, but my tummy is terribly hungry. I would love to dive to the bottom of a bag of chips or into the bucket of ice-cream, but I know that if I eat well first, I can enjoy a taste of the desired second.

My diet is a hodgepodge of dietary theories.  I don't hunt or gather, but I eat more paleo than not.  I drink coffee like a European, although I have recently switched to decaf.  I love fish and potatoes like my ancestors, but I eat them rarely and often fried.  I love juices and smoothies like a Californian, but my distaste for waste keeps that to a minimum.  I agree with eating right for my blood type, I like good carbs and good protein, I agree with clean eating and whole foods, but still, I put sugar in my coffee.  I believe I have successfully blurred the lines of at least a dozen dietary platforms and merged them together like a patchwork quilt.

During my studies I have picked up a few gems.  From Ayurveda, balance what I eat with who I am; from Joshua Rosenthal, invest more in primary foods and enjoy better quality secondary foods;  and my favorite, from Dr. Barry Sears, "Protein walks around, Carbs grow from the ground."  I have learned to thoughtfully choose foods that fit within those categories because I can anticipate how my body and mind will feel when and after I do.

By doing this I have learned that I can have a lotta bit of this and a little bit of that while thriving in good health.  A girlfriend of mine recently reminded me that no one's health is perfect.  While my own health lacks perfection, it produces energy, satiation, satisfaction, flavor, and joy.  I have learned I can enjoy what I eat and enjoy what I shouldn't all in good balance and thoughtfulness.  That, dear reader, is the recipe I wish for you all to find.

Begin with real food, drink plenty of water, and give your vitamins their vitamins.  Wash your hands of the things you can't have and instead enjoy them in tasteful portions after you eat real, whole, naturally occurring food.  You don't need a recipe to eat a carrot just as you don't need an excuse to eat ice-cream.

Anna~

CRAP? No. FOOD? Yes!

Lunch has always been a slight point of contention around here.  Three kids packing their lunch at 6:30 in the morning while I am cleaning up breakfast dishes and Scott is trying to make eggs hasn't been working for awhile.  So we have been gradually reorganizing the process of packing lunch.  Along with that, we have been dividing kitchen chores as elementary as possible.   All in all, I think we have made about 5 essential changes to make our kitchen run without a hitch in the 'giddy-up!"

1.  Eat family style meals together and at the same times everyday.  Easy, right?  Not in our house.  Making an effort to eat a 6:20am, 11:30am, and 5:30ish in the evening takes a coordinated effort, for sure, but the benefits of doing so are life changing!  Hunger rhythms and blood sugars regulate, family hunger patterns and moods coordinate, meal preparation is predictable, and more is shared than meals.  

2.  Empty the dishwasher at the same time every day.  My in-laws empty theirs first thing in the morning, I empty mine just before dinner, my parents empty theirs after breakfast.  Utilizing the dishwasher relieves the kitchen of clutter making meal prep and clean up a much simpler, more concise act.  

3.  Assign chores to make coming to the table less complex.  At meal time, one kid pours the drinks, one kid sets the table, one kid puts the dog in the kennel (almost) like clock work.  After meal time one kid clears the table, one kid stores leftovers and one kid loads the dishwasher.  Breaking apart multi-step chores gets everyone involved and relieves the cook of multiple tasks as the roast is coming out of the oven or the pots are being diligently scrubbed.  

4.  Pack lunch after dinner.  We have recently adopted the brilliant idea of dividing the leftovers into lunch sized containers immediately following dinner.  Everything gets plunked in the fridge, sticky- noted, and paired with a fruit; morning lunch prep is reduced to filling a water bottle with fresh water and grabbing something crunchy for a snack.  (Plunk is also one of my favorite words.)

5.  Make the available foods 'Yes" foods.  Almonds?  Yes!  Goldfish?  No.  Clementines?  Yes!  Cheese Doodles?  No.  Apples and Peanut Butter?  Yes!  Doritos and Mountain Dew?  No.  High sugar, highly processed foods cause mood swings, hunger roller-coasters, and addicted tastebuds.  Get rid of the C.R.A.P. and get real F.O.O.D.  

You know what to do~

Anna~

Rut Repair

Today is the day to get out of your rut.  You know, the same old routine and the same old results.  Repairing ruts is a typical spring task so today, begin your own personal rut repair with these five easy tips~

1.  Brush your teeth with the other hand.  Studies show that switching up basic movements like brushing your teeth, create new neural pathways in the brain.  Stimulating your brain can create happiness, efficiency, and spontaneous joy!

2.  Breathe deeply.  Take a moment 4 or 5 times today to breathe as though your life depends on it.  Shallow breathing may be sustainable but your body suffers from it.  Take some giant yoga breaths when you wake, before each meal, and before you sleep-  deep breathing can also thwart stress.  (Thwart is one of my favorite words!)

3.  Eliminate the words 'like' and 'um' from your vocabulary.  If you wish to compare two things, the word like is permissible; otherwise, remove them altogether.  Speaking without filler words will not only challenge your brain to exercise a broader vocabulary, but your posture will improve as well.  Give it a try today!  As you speak as your smarter, well spoken self, your confidence and posture will certainly perk up!

4.  Don't react.  Instead, take action.  If you are stuck in the "That is the way we've always done it but it really pisses me off" rut, change something.  Write a memo, conduct a proposal, constructively state your claim, or keep it to yourself.  If you are unwilling to be part of a solution, you too may be part of the problem.  (That sounds a little harsh, but I too fall into this rut more often than not.)

5.  Ask for what you need.  This may sound simple, but standing in the middle of the room passive-aggressively lamenting on how you wish you had help in the house, in the office, in the bedroom, in the garden, or with the trash isn't the same as directly approaching a usable tool and asking for what you need.  None of us are mind readers.  If you need help, ask for it.

If all else fails, eat real food, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands.  Repairing a rut can be very dirty work.

Anna~

You've been Missed!

I met a woman this week who reminded me that I am an individual.  I love to write, I love to eat, I love to find out about nutritional things, I love to work out in my living room, and I love to contemplate for days before deciding or committing to any one thing.  I have been focusing on social media, business names, logos, headers, footers, and websites lately, none of which I love, but all of which has lead me right back to where I started: a desire to write about food, about nourishment, and about vitamins.

I have missed you, dear readers.  My priorities are now back in the correct order.  I will explain it further tomorrow, in five paragraphs or less.

Until then, eat real food, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins, and, as always, remember to wash your hands!  And eat eggs!

Anna~

Procrastination; Development and Definition

The rain here has been intense and has now just ended after 36 hours of showers.  Dreary weather has caused a boredom to settle into our home; one the dogs are acting out against, we have become sleepy by, and the kids have embraced for love of the television.  The wind has picked up, as it typically does as the last of the storm sweeps through, and the clouds are becoming thin strings of white backed with blue.  It feels as though my race is moments away, the blocks are set, my sneakers are laced, and I am waiting for the line judge to call me to it.  There's the buzzer!

Never mind.  It was just the dryer.  Three kids, two of which are sick, the last of whom is athletic like his Dad, created mounds of laundry throughout the week.  My in-laws just visited which caused me to change the linens, an act much over due, so adding to the pile beside the washing machine.  The All is almost out, so I have been selectively sorting clothes and kitchen linens to dis-infect; efficiency is important but I'd rather clean underwear populate our drawers instead of laundered linens occupy the shelves.

I have this crazy housekeeping method that is effective, efficient, and employs the entire family body.  Vacuum and wash floors on Monday; dust and declutter on Tuesday; vacuum and bathrooms on Wednesday; laundry and linens on Thursday; vacuum, fridge and garbage on Friday; yard work and garage on the weekends.  Daily chores consist of picking up all the things that are down, poop removal, dishwasher, rooms, reading, and revealing the stairs.  Two or three easy things a day to accomplish with grace and discipline.

In a perfect week I actually follow my list, but often times I write instead of wash, read instead of arrange, and play instead of purge.  When procrastination occurs, every chore gets smashed into one or two days, or ignored altogether (like the linens), and then embarrassment sets in (especially when the in-laws come to visit).  Procrastination by definition is the delaying or postponing of an assignment or action; the stress procrastination creates is much larger than a simple definition.

I do not know how to eliminate procrastination from any one's diet, dear reader, for I subscribe to it from time to time as well.  There are tips we can all use and follow that can prevent procrastination from creeping in and taking control.  While you reflect on where you allow procrastination to control your life, and the consequences that come from it, grab a bowl of real food, a tall glass of water and some vitamins for your vitamins.  Let's get ready to begin washing our hands of procrastination... Tomorrow.

Anna~

Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes!

Preparing dinner nightly is something I truly love.  Our kitchen is separate from the rest of the house, allowing me some time for creation, quite, and a glass of red while I assemble a meal meant to nourish those at our table.  This last 12 days have tried my culinary abilities due to the fact that an elimination diet has outlined our dinner ingredients.  More than resetting the system and allowing for good elimination, an elimination diet calms inflammation throughout the body allowing the body to function, heal, and metabolize properly.

To explain, an elimination diet removes dairy, gluten, soy, eggs and corn, as well as stimulants, sugar, and meats, fruits and vegetables that can cause inflammation within the body.  We mostly followed the below chart for 7 days:

my-clean-diet-experiment

Scott has allergies to many of the foods on the 'can eat' side of the diet, but he willfully refrained from most of the restricted foods.  Because he has never had any problems digesting red meat (O-, Eating Right 4 Your Type), we did have steak tips over greens, onions, broccoli and red cabbage as a meal. 

Inflammation is the body's natural response to space invaders.  Viruses, damage, bad bacteria, poorly digested food, or a highly acidic environment can cause inflammation.  Low stomach acid, high sugar intake, caffeine, alcohol and/or a sedentary lifestyle can also cause inflammation to sneak around inside the body.  Inflammation is commonly mistaken for fat, for tiredness, for sleeplessness, for headaches, for allergies, for constipation, for diarrhea, for unpleasant periods, for arthritis...  the list goes on.

I did not follow this diet as strictly as Scott did (and still is after 12 days), but as I watched his allergies calm, his waistline decrease, his sleep improve, his complexion brighten, and his mood hover over a more even keel, I encouraged him to keep going based on results.  After 7 days of strict food selections, we moved to no eggs, no dairy, no soy, no gluten, no corn, no sugar, no stimulants, opening up many of the fruits and vegetables we had avoided per the chart's suggestions.

Now he is slowly reintroducing foods.  He has had raw cheese and eggs to find they do not  cause stomach upset, irritable bowels or cold symptoms.  He has not reintroduced gluten, corn, soy or sugar, for these are the foods he fears cause inflammation in his feet, in his face, in his body.  He has lost 12 pounds of belly fat in 12 days and has had increasingly successful workouts; higher output, less pain and soreness, shorter recovery times.  His allergies are not completely gone, but the results we've witnessed is worth avoiding inflammatory foods.  

My advice to you is the same as my advice to him:  Nothing changes if Nothing Changes~ If you are experiencing symptoms that you dislike, instead of taking an allergy pill or a sleep aide, try changing your food.  Listen to your body as it tells you what it can tolerate and what it can't.  There are so many resources to help you find what real foods you should or shouldn't eat~  I am one of them.  Make sure to drink plenty of water while you research, give your vitamins their vitamins, and, as always, remember to wash your hands -  you eat with those things!

Anna~

Contact me if you would like more information.

Oil Pulling, Yoga, and Practice!

So, I am trying it right now.  I measured two teaspoons of organic expeller pressed olive oil, warmed it over a candle to liquify the mass and I pulled it into my mouth.  During the duration of this post I will swish the contents to remove plaque, trap toxins and pull puss from my gums; then into the trash it will go.  Oil Pulling.

I see multiple home remedies for numerous things consistently throughout the day.  Herbs for pain, remedies for indigestion, salts for inflammation, spices for memory, cures for the common cold.  I am a believer in all of them to a great extent, but they are only effective if one actually tries the remedies.  Can cinnamon increase blood circulation?  Only when eaten or rubbed into the skin.  Can lemon and honey calm a cough and ease a sore throat?  Only if taken often and in addition to rest.  Can oil pulling really improve oral health?  Only if practiced routinely.

Many times I hear myself offering advice to others, advice even I don't religiously follow, and I hear in retort, "I tried that once and it didn't work."  That same reason is true for all things.  I tried playing the guitar once and I was terrible at it, so I practiced until I became comfortable with the guitar.  Trying anything once delivers a clumsy, unimpressive result.  Practicing a remedy, a talent, a trade, an instrument, or oil pulling until results over time can be measured is the only decisive way to see if any one thing actually works or falls short of its claim.

Last November and December I was practicing yoga 3 or 4 times a week.  I would get up early, enjoy a quite hour of stretching and coffee before the house awoke, and get my yoga on.  I felt great the rest of the day.  My posture was improving, my sleep was sound, joy was more present throughout the day.  Even my back and neck were nearly pain free.  Then January delivered a puppy and much skiing, February delivered puppy training, less sleep, and snow, and now its March; yoga has been absent for nearly two months.  It is time I return to a practice that revealed more space, better posture, and louder joy.  Hopefully, with practice, the oil pulling will reveal whiter teeth.

My time is up.  Before I go spit in the trash and rinse with warm water, I will leave you with this:  You, dear reader, are worth the practice.  If you are wondering if any one thing really works, practice it every day~  the results will amaze you!  Start with real food.  Add plenty of clean water.  Give your vitamins their vitamins.  And, because there are germs everywhere, remember to wash your hands.  In the words of Henry ford, if you think you can do a thing or you can't do a thing, you're right!

Anna~

Acceptance Must Come with a Side of Understanding.

Organic food and their inorganic counterparts are scattered across the news.  Thick skinned, inorganically grown bananas and fruits are said to be fine, while we are urged to eat organic lettuce and other delicate veggies.  We don't eat the skin of the banana so it makes sense when the FDA suggests the banana itself is safe from chemicals.  Also understood, lettuce, a veggie we consume in its entirety, should remain clean and unbathed in chemical solution for our own safety.  For me, organic isn't as much about what we end up eating on our produce; it's more about what we end up eating in our produce.  "You are what what you eat eats!" -Michael Pollen


Lets pretend, for a moment, that the ground is fertile, the air is clean, water is abundant, and food grows naturally from seeds deposited on the earth from animal droppings, wind distribution and fruit decay.  A long time ago, right?  Today, crops are grown mono culturally.  Seeds are more or less created through hybridization with the intent of producing higher yield crops with larger fruit in a shorter maturation time.  Plants are sprayed for bugs, the soil is treated for weeds, man and animal made fertilizers are then reintroduced and viola~  your super market is stocked with global produce.

Now, there is a big difference between the natural or organic growth cycle of a plant and mono agriculture; that isn't hard to accept.  So where does organic farming fit in?  Organic farming in America is an agricultural practice where mono culture growing methods are still used, but without spraying for insects and introducing chemicals to the soil.  In theory, clean water is used to water, insects are used to kill insects and crops are rotated so the soil is not depleted of nutrients; a middle ground between farm stead gardening and conventional agriculture.  The growing season is longer, the yield is less, the cost is more for a myriad of reasons, but the produce is of higher nutritional value.

It is easy to see and accept the fact 'chemicals are poisonous'.  As a society, we also accept a number of other chemical results:  seeds that are modified to withstand drought, temperature variance, and pests;  fruits and veggies that are sprayed with chemicals that kill or repel bugs;  soil that is sprayed with chemicals to keep water-drinking, nutrient-absorbing weeds from encroaching on intended crops.  This acceptance, though, must come with some understanding:  crops are watered and washed from rain which saturates the soil with residual chemicals;  plants then become the water, nutrients and chemicals found in the soil while creating the produce intended.   We, the people, then, visit our local markets, pick the fruit and ingest all the fruit itself has ingested whether we peel it or not.

Is it acceptable that plants grown without chemicals are a healthier choice?  You decide.  While you think, eat real food, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins, and, as always, remember to wash your hands (especially after gardening).


Anna~