by L Young | May 8, 2014 | Blog
As a Mom, woman, wife, friend, do you sometimes feel that whatever job you are doing just isn’t good enough? Today I’d like to focus on Mom’s but this really applies to all women who feel the need to always set a good example and nurture those around us. We can easily become inundated with information about eating healthy, living a healthy lifestyle, and the statistics around the health of our children. But it sure can be overwhelming when you are trying to do it all, and frankly, just don’t know where to begin when it comes to making healthier choices. With all the conflicting information, and do’s and don’ts, it can be easy to beat ourselves up for feeling we are not doing a good enough job.
The thing is you probably ARE doing a good job at being a mom, wife, co-worker, etc. by providing love and support to those in your life. Making changes is not an “all or nothing” deal. The best way to make sustainable changes is making them one at a time. I experience it everyday with my clients, and those who work on one small thing at a time are the ones that have long term success. There are no quick fixes, only taking a little time to honor yourself in allowing yourself to make progressive changes. So where do we begin?
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by L Young | Apr 17, 2014 | Blog
Celebrating the Easter and Passover holidays often involves sharing good food and family traditions with friends and family. For those who have worked with me or have followed my blog, you know that indulging in favorite foods (10 – 15% of the time) can be an important part of living and enjoying life. So part of my mission has been to help others find healthier ways of making those food favorites that are delicious without the guilt, and that don’t send you into a week of sugar cravings. Of course learning to create a healthy balance of foods in your life play a big role too.
Here is an example that you’re sure to enjoy if you are a chocolate lover! My first introduction to chocolate flourless cake was when a friend brought one in to work from her Passover celebration, years ago. At that time gluten free was unheard of and so were flourless cakes, with the exception of the holiday tradition. So when I discovered this recipe, a more “guilt-free” one that is gluten free, lower in sugar, and includes a nutrient rich dark chocolate, I had to share. It’s an all around healthier version that can be enjoyed for the holidays or anytime you want to impress your guests with a delicious, decadent dessert. Adding fresh fruit rather than whipped cream adds to the health factor and can make it all the more enjoyable. It may become a new Easter or Passover favorite.
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by L Young | Apr 10, 2014 | Blog
Spring cleaning may not be your favorite thing to do, but it sure does inspire me with the warm sun streaming in and looking out at the beautiful flowers and trees in bloom! My mission is being as pollen free as possible so I can spend more time in our outdoor living spaces to enjoy the beautiful season. As I spent an evening of vacuuming pollen from my outdoor “retreat” (my screened porch:) my next job was to tackle the windows so I can see the beautiful flowers that are blooming.
Being more conscious of the chemicals in my environment, over the past few years I have been purchasing more natural solutions whenever available. But what I discovered is that “natural” cleaners are not always as natural as the label states, and can also be more costly. So why spend the extra money on this when you can create your own that smell wonderful and do the job!
Here is a favorite recipe of mine!
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by L Young | Apr 1, 2014 | Blog
As we start enjoying the Spring season, a common activity is “spring cleaning”. This usually involves getting rid of the old, giving the house and garden a make-over to help us enter the season with color and joy. But we have two “houses” that need to be cleaned; our home that we live in as well as our bodies. While we accumulate things in our homes, our bodies accumulate toxins from some of the foods we eat as well as our cleaners, lotions, and other things we are exposed to.
I mentioned in my last article how nature provides us one of the perfect ways to cleanse our bodies with all the wonderful leafy greens and light fruits that are available in spring. These foods naturally help cleanse our bodies of the toxins (when eating organic) leaving us with increased energy and that Spring glow! So what other foods can impact this?
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by L Young | Mar 20, 2014 | Blog
Can a simple food like “greens” really energize us? As we approach the Spring season, green is all around us. Not only are the trees, grass, and flowers in bloom, so are the lettuces, basil, turnip greens, Bok Choy, and many others for our diet. You may be more familiar with the typical salad greens, but there is a big variety of leafy greens and herbs. They have amazing power, come in many different forms, and can turn out delicious recipes. Nature sure planned it perfectly since spring is also a time for cleansing and greens help us do just that.
When it comes to “cleansing” our body of toxins, many think this is just for adults, but think again. With all the chemicals and food additives our children come in contact with on a daily basis, it’s important to give them the foods that will help their bodies reduce the effects naturally. So how do they make an impact?
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