Mindfulness Meditation Hike

A lot of people think hiking needs to be a strenuous all day endeavor. In fact, it might be damaging for your blood sugar and inflammation to go for a long hike without the proper fuel of water and healthy snacks.

Getting out to nature can be easy and you don't have to be in your best shape -- just get to your local park and walk! (and bring your water bottle and a healthy low-glycemic snack like a nutty trail mix)

What we're doing in our mindfulness meditation hike is we combine the best of a few resources: 1) nature's easy forest bathing 2) mindfulness meditation 3) breathing exercises and 4) yoga stretching all while doing a walk that is good for beginners and all levels.

If you want to know more about our hikes and education workshops for heart health (and other wellness topics), please join our meetup group for Heart Health Hiking!

Get lean and healthier for your best new year!

Athletic dog doing a plank on the Pilates reformer

Do you know what science-based strategies will help you best? Our mascot dog here gets his lots of walks, playtime, gets good sleep, and eats a clean healthy diet that gives him well-rounded vitamins and minerals.

Don't be fooled by his charm, he is a picky eater! If you have any food allergies or preferences, we can help you find a way to clean up your nutrition. If you are bored with whatever exercise or food, we can help you find something that keeps you on track. Change isn't easy for many of us, and we have the support you need -- either individual coaching or group support, by phone and email to help you stay on your new healthy habits!

Start by joining one of our FREE intro calls this week to learn about an easy 21-day detox that will help change your body chemistry to stop craving sugar, lose some belly inches, and feel more energized!

Mon Jan 2 6pm PST / 9pm EST , or
Wed Jan 4 630pm PST / 9:30pm EST, or
if you can't make it, email us (EmbodyHealth at gmail) to get the recording and the FREE Flat Belly worksheet! Print the worksheet 1/per week and watch how easy it is to eat healthier!

30-minutes for a healthier you!
Conference Dial-in Number: (515) 604-9394 
Participant Access Code: 851968#


Learn more about the call on our Facebook page or Like us on FB to see other events

Quick healthy prepared meals

Quick healthy prepared meals under 15-minutes prep or cooking time are possible! Whether you are packing for a work lunch or coming home after a long day for dinner, we have more options than ever at our grocery stores. Even though I enjoy cooking, on most days I don't have time to make a meal from scratch. Let's decrease your stress by giving you back some time to relax. So here are some strategies to eat healthy, on a budget, and enjoy good tasty food quickly!

For the urban dwellers, I'm choosing some Trader Joe's frozen items to highlight.
* Cod Provencale (top two images): Imported from France, it is fairly low-impact for those watching their carbs and sugar. The portion of the fish is generous and filling. The ratatouille would take me too much effort to make from scratch, but from this frozen packet, it's delicious. I re-heat this package on stovetop. And if you want to add more veggies and fiber to your meal (YES, please do!), add some pre-washed baby organic spinach from your fridge to boost your nutrition and bang from this tasty meal fit for foodies. For those avoiding wheat, this helps you meet your dietary preference, but it is not officially gluten-free for those who have strict gluten allergies.

* Spinach lasagna (checkered image): Ricotta cheese has quite a lot of protein. This spinach lasagna is filling as the main entree, or could be divided in 2 as a side pasta dish to accompany another protein or veggie main dish. What's terrific is you can pronounce every ingredient on the label, and it looks like what you would use to make it home-made. We want to avoid foods that have artificial preservatives, so the rule is, if you can't pronouce it, you probably shouldn't be eating it.

* Pakoras: If you like Indian food, you'll enjoy these curry spiced little fritters. The frozen pakoras I cook ahead of time in the toaster, so that they are quick to re-heat when I need a snack to get me to my next meal. A vegetarian item, they are surprisingly filling. I encourage you to discard the sauce or use it sparingly since it seems to have a lot of sugar. In general, if you're watching your waistline or trying to stay healthy, please beware of sauces and dressing -- where the hidden calories are!

* Chicken chile verde burritos -- 2 in a package. You can have 1 as your main, and add salad or veggies for a more complete healthy meal. Save the other one for another meal. These burritos are top-notch compared to other frozen burritos, as one of my mexican food taste-testers has rated these the Chicken chile verde burritos the best.

In any grocery store, here are my suggestions for quick healthy meals:
* Turkey or Chicken chili: Beans are a terrific source of fiber and protein so you can feel full! Check the labels to see if they added sugar or other additives. Go for the cleaner brand. Amy's Organic is a terrific brand of chili and soups. I also get a tub of Grass-fed Beef Chili from a eco-conscious responsible butcher shop.
* Split Pea soup: Like beans, peas are also a terrific source of fiber and protein. Besides the canned form, you can get split pea soup "flakes" (freeze -dry, mix with hot water) from places like Santa Monica Co-op's bulk food bins or other natural health food stores that have a bulk food section. Add ready-to-eat slices of chicken breast and you've got a very filling meal that is very green as well!
* Canned fish like smoked herring or sardines over a bed of pre-washed baby greens: Here's the salad recipe from a previous post. You can use "power to the greens" mix from Trader Joe's, baby spinach from anywhere, or even better, if you have greens from the salad stands of a local farmers market.

Have these items below for your fridge to be well-stocked:
* Free-range organic chicken breast or turkey breast meat ready to add to a salad.
* Cans of beans or garbanzo beans are a great topping to a salad.
* Cans of fish, clams, crab meat (whatever your tastes guide you!), preferably not the heavy-metal exposed fish like tuna.
* Salad greens like baby spinach work well as a salad base or wilted in a stir-fry.
* Frozen mixed vegetables so you can stir-fry or steam as a veggie side. (save time from washing and chopping!) There are even mushroom medleys in the freezer section if you like mushrooms and don't want to spend the time to wash and chop.
* Happy eggs are quick easy protein (omega-3, veggie-fed, free-range -- as you wish)
* Frozen peas -- peas are such a winner for protein and fiber -- easy to add into a dish
* Frozen french-cut beans -- they are picked young and the stems removed, so much quicker than picking them yourself
* Frozen asparagus - these are a new-found item!
* If you really can't get around to eating your vegetables, please at least try drinking your greens powder as backup so you can keep your body more alkaline and with some greens power.
* Nuts and seeds -- like almonds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, pistachios -- perfect for snacking when you're very hungry waiting for your food to heat up or get put together. Always a great addition to give extra crunch to your salad.

For all prepared foods to taste freshly-made and a boost of nutrition:
* Add fresh window herbs like basil or thyme to freshen up your prepared foods-- yum!
* Stock your cupboard with cinnamon, nutmeg, and the collection of Italian herbs and/or Mediterranean spices.
* Have a pepper mill so you get fresh ground pepper that makes your food taste more gourmet.
* And if you're a foodie for flavored salt, you can even get truffle-infused salt or other flavors to make your food taste gourmet or from a fancy restaurant.

No more boring dinners or big confusion of what to eat! Bon appetit!

Beauty of meditation

Meditation Mount in Ojai (https://meditationmount.org)

The beauty of meditation is that you can do it anywhere. And if you can find great gardens and sanctuaries, it is so much easier you to find that quiet peace of mind. So for my birthday get-away, I wanted to visit Meditation Mount in Ojai. You can see more photos on my FB page.

Other great places to enjoy meditation gardens in Los Angeles include:

* Self-realization Fellowship (my favorite is the Lake Shrine in Pacific Palisades location off Sunset/PCH)

* Peace Labyrinth in the historic West Adams neighborhood

* Any park of the LA Mountains

* Or other urban parks/gardens you might find as little gems in your neighborhood.

Share with us your favorite gardens and sanctuaries! Post your best finds on our FB page.
PS If you don't know how to meditate and want to just get started with breathing out 2x as long: inhaling 1-2 (count), and exhaling long 1-2-3-4 (count). Take the time to relax and exhale slowly -- it helps lower your blood pressure, improve your heart health, and decrease anxiety and stress.

High-protein snacks

So many of the "protein bars" are full of ingredients you can't pronounce or ingredients that have been so processed, they become a glamorous candy bar. Best to stick to foods that you could possibly make at home with an ingredient list you *do* understand and can pronounce!

When I say we want high-protein snacks, what I mean is a flat-belly friendly "low-glycemic" snack -- instead of a granola bar or rice cakes (diet food!) that are "low-fat" but high in simple carbs = simple sugars (not good for your managing your blood sugar or belly inches). The less sugar you eat, the less you crave it. The more you choose high-protein and low-glycemic snacks, the easier it is to feel full and be satisfied -- no more munchies!

Here are some ideas for healthy eating on-the-go.

Make your own trail mix: Pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are not as popular as nuts and cost less than my favorite almonds. I take an empty jar and mix up my own trail mix, so that I can stretch my almonds and pistachios and get in the hard-to-grab healthy seeds. When you buy pre-made trail mix, it's pumped full of dried fruit that has extra sugar. If you choose to buy pre-made trail mix, add your own seeds and nuts to decrease the sugar and dried fruit ratio. For example, if you get the individual size mix at Trader Joe's, pair it up with an individual size packet of almonds.

Jerky: You might remember jerky as too dry or too chewy, but there are lots of new foodie flavors and you can even find a vegan jerky. The taste-testers at Women's Health magazine have a list of tasty jerky for you. My favorite so far is KRAVE. Always read the label of any processed food for how many grams of sugar per serving size, so 1) you can monitor your serving size and 2) you can stay under the recommended *maximum* sugar calories per day. For me it's easier to read grams on the label instead of calories and it translates to this guideline from World Health Organization of 6 tsp of sugar = 25g

Protein Bars: Health Warrior Chia Bars have a good amount of natural protein and fiber from the chia seeds. One little Coconut flavor Chia Bar is 110 calories, with 4g of sugar, 3g of Protein and 4g of Fiber.  Keen-wah bars are also tasty, but a lot of chocolate if you're not in the mood for too sweet. If you want a traditional "granola bar" taste, Cascadian Farms offers a pea-protein based granola bar that isn't too sweet.

Protein and Fiber helps you feel full and getting enough fiber helps you detox and maintain a flat belly from inside out.  Most of us are good at getting more protein, and we need a little help on getting more fiber (check out my flat belly post for help). One of my weight loss students ended up getting her veggies (and thus her fiber) by using a dehydrator to make veggie chips. However, you don't need a new gadget to get veggie chips -- simply bake them in your oven or toaster oven (recipes here).

How meditation can be fun

Some people say they want to learn to meditate but worry it's too difficult or they don't like to sit still. There are so many ways to bring meditation into your life, that can be fun and help you tap into other parts of your brain! Here are some ideas below.

I'm excited that my talented friend, architect and art professor Michael Kieley, has asked me to teach meditation as a short segment of a creative Meditation-Drawing workshop that is going to be so much fun! Whether you're an artist or not, it's just great to exercise your creative muscle in a safe learning space, and he's a terrific guide for that. I have two spots reserved for Embody Health students in this special event, so please be sure to click on the event link and see if you want to join in on Sunday March 29th.

Another way to try meditation in a fun and easy way is to join my Meetup group for Heart Health Hiking. It's not just a hiking group, but we explore different parks and integrate yoga stretches, strength training, meditation, and nutrition tips. All things good for your heart health with the help of nature to get you to de-stress and relax. I started this group because I saw people who were interested in getting a good cardio workout get injured or have missing pieces of the formula for their heart health goals (nutrition, good posture, stretching, breathing/meditation techniques). One of my meditation students has inspired me with her beach walks, that we can plan a beach walk + meditation soon, once the weather is reliably not raining.

Here's an easy exercise for developing mindfulness: When you take a walk, start with taking 5 minutes of your walking to truly pay attention to your breath and the small wonders of nature you see along the way. Things like the unusual stream of light coming through the tree branches, the shapes of the clouds, the small weeds poking out between plants, the patterns of ground covers, the vibrant colors. You've now stimulated at least 2 senses (your breathing and your eyesight). As you go along, see if you can tune in to more of your 5 senses, feeling the breeze against your face, hearing more sounds, etc. Finding a curious attitude like a kid first discovering a new park or street is a way to get more present in your body and make that mind+body connection. You might enjoy this so much that 5 minutes of mindfulness becomes 10 or 15 minutes! Just tuning into your breath alone will help calm down any stress or anxiety. Have fun!

Smart training for cyclists

image from bicycling.com

I admire my friends who have previously trained or are presently training for the AIDS/LifeCycle Ride. The 7-day event is a big commitment and if you have a busy work schedule, how do you get the most out of your limited training time per week? Cross-training and interval training is how you mix it up. Get smart with your training and get different strategies for your improving your speed and endurance.

As a trainer for various athletes (triathletes, marathon runners, senior olympics cyclist), I've seen how core exercises and proper stretching keeps my students in the game and avoid serious injuries!

I like the article in Bicycling Magazine, "Shake up your workout." More is not always better -- long rides can cause fatigue that are hard to recover from. The best way to boost your speed is interval training, cross-training (core, yoga, strength training), and proper recovery so you can do it again! Even if you're not near hills and only have flatland for your rides, the article talks about changing to a tougher gear so you can feel a harder ride and then go back to an easy pace. If your weather is not cooperating, you can use an elliptical machine and try one of the pre-programmed interval training programs. Using your entire lower body (without your bike seat) will help you gain more strength in your legs.  Balance on the elliptical without holding on with your hands, and you'll work on your flat belly too! (link goes to flat belly nutrition tips).

If you're limited with equipment, simply pull out some space in your home enough for your to practice your elbow and side planks to get started in your core workouts.  Don't forget that the foam roller can also work your core (think pilates exercises) and help you stretch out tights spots like your IT band! Need help figuring out your good form for a core workout? You can email me to set up a 30-minute workout where we can check your form and give you several programs to practice at home. If you want help with your nutrition and recovery, we can set up your nutrition+wellness coaching so you know how and when to get your magnesium, minerals, and other fuel to avoid those nasty muscle cramps and get the energy you need to keep your rides fun.

Healthy Pumpkin Muffins

High fiber (flat belly), less sugar, better protein!

You can have your tasty muffins (foodie approved) and feel good that it is a healthy flat-belly food.

And for those of you who worry that gluten-free or healthy baking is too much work, you'll be happy to know that I got almost all my ingredients from Trader Joe's. The low-sugar magic is cinnamon -- it helps accentuate what sweetness you already have in the recipe. I was able to cut the sugar down to only 1/2 cup of sugar from the original recipe from the Victory Garden Cookbook (Marian Morash). And the coconut oil is heart healthy for you, all those who are avoiding the bad saturated fats, this is a good alternative for cooking and baking.

My new favorite non-wheat flour (and ancient grain) is buckwheat flour (Bob's Red Mill is a brand you can find most grocery stores like Whole Foods or any health food store). Just a 1/2 cup of buckwheat flour gives this recipe a dark molasses taste, again helping to enhance the flavor without extra sugar. I was first introduced to buckwheat from a French cafe that featured buckwheat crepes (from Brittany's cuisine). Then I learned that Japanese soba noodles also use buckwheat for a nutty taste. If you look at Wiki, you'll see that buckwheat has a place from all over the world!

The pairing of almond flour (sneaking in protein in your muffin!) and coconut flour helps give a balance of taste, and both of these gluten-free flours have great fiber. For my friend who has had heart issues, she was delighted to eat something that didn't have butter and was heart-healthy for her. If you don't already know, check out my Heart Health Explorers hiking group where I sometimes teach meditation and other heart-healthy exercises to pair up with exploring great parks in the LA area.

Click on this link to get your health pumpkin muffin recipe. Makes for a great snack, dessert, or breakfast side. And happy heart health month!

Power Clam Chowder

This homemade "Power Clam Chowder" is all around good for you, tasty and healthier than other chowders around. It's detox-friendly, iron-rich, nutrient-dense, dairy-free, gluten-free, easy-to-make and budget-friendly. Creamy without the dairy cream. Iron-rich from the beans and clams (check out the links for nutrition profile), more power than beef!

Click here to get to the recipe.

Why is this easy to make? Mostly, it's opening cans and chopping. If you don't have all the fresh herbs, you can use dry herbs or what is available in your kitchen. Parsley is the dominant herb flavor in my clam chowder, but you can make it your favorite green herb. You can't really screw up the flavors because you can always add more broth or water if you made it too salty, or add more veggies if you prefer. You can make a big batch and freeze a few portions. And a bonus, you can get all the ingredients in one trip to any grocery store that carries organic veggies and cans of beans and clams.

Budget tip #1: Beans and clams are the most budget-friendly way to get significant iron. Read the labels on the cans. Pureed canned beans are easier for my sensitive stomach, and saves time from the soaking I need to do for dried beans and lentils.

Budget tip #2: I usually find at least one Asian produce stand at a farmers market that sells sweet potatos, carrots and other veggies for either $1 or $2 per bunch. The fresher the produce, the easier it is to keep in your fridge and have more nutrients than produce that is older and less vibrant. Another reason to make time to go to your regular farmer's market, or if you don't have time to do that, you can order a fresh produce box from your local farmers CSA.

Vitamin tip: If you're not a fan of seafood, which is full of minerals, that's ok, just put in a different protein or add more white beans. Just make sure you can get your selenium and other important minerals through nuts and a good multi-mineral supplement so you can support a healthy thyroid with these mineral antioxidants (nutrients not found in your multivitamin).

Please share your comments on this recipe on our facebook page, or ask me to make one of your favorite foods more healthy -- I'm happy to take on your Iron Chef challenge!

Best Seafood to Eat?

What seafood is safe to eat? What is more healthy for you?

If you didn't already download this list on your phone for your shopping convenience, here is Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch List for those who live in California, or go to the main page to find your state's Seafood Watch Guide.  What is tough for those of us who try to eat healthy, is how to make it practical and easy to focus on the best choices (see list for California reprinted below).

In order to succeed in eating healthy, use this strategy -- prepare and stock up in your pantry and freezer. "No one plans to fail, we just fail to plan!" Seafood is a terrific choice for eating more healthy fats (heart healthy!) and getting lean proteins to support healthy weight or your weight loss goals.

You can get things like Arctic Char, Scallops, Tilapia, Alaskan Wild Salmon in the freezer section for budget-friendly shopping and store it in your home freezer. Small fish rich in Omega-3 healthy fats like Sardines and Herring can be found in the canned or jarred food section so you can have it ready in your pantry, for easily less than $2-3 per serving. Clams, Mussels, and Oysters have terrific levels of minerals, especially for women who need iron-rich foods -- there is a great easy way to make your own healthy seafood chowder at home. Whenever you make soups, chowders or chili, these are great foods to make in a bigger batch and save in your freezer for eating at another time. Gotta have strategies to save you time, money and keep your healthy eating at your best! If you're a vegetarian and want to balance your nutrition with vegetarian sources of minerals and Omega-3 healthy fats, there are other strategeis! Anyone you know who wants to improve your nutrition, please email me and we can set up your complimentary phone-consult--you can be anywhere with a phone and we'll get you started!

List of "Best Choices" seafood for California

• Arctic Char (farmed)
• Bass: Striped (US hook & line, farmed)
• Catfish (US)
• Clams, Mussels & Oysters
• Cod: Pacific (US hook & line)
• Halibut: California (US hook & line)
• Lobster: Spiny (Mexico)
• Prawns: Spot (AK)
• Rockfish (US)
• Sablefish/Black Cod (AK & Canada wild)
• Salmon (AK)
• Sanddab (CA, OR & WA)
• Sardines: Pacific (Canada & US)
• Scallops (farmed)
• Seaweed (farmed)
• Shrimp (AK wild, US farmed)
• Sole (CA, OR & WA)
• Tilapia (Ecuador & US)
• Trout: Rainbow (US farmed)
• Tuna: Albacore/White canned
• (Canada & US troll, pole)
• Tuna: Skipjack/Light canned
• (FAD free, US troll, pole)
• Tuna: Yellowfin (US troll, pole)

Yummy sweet potato

The yummy sweet potato is a terrific root vegetable that is nutrient-dense and has good fiber. For those who love potatoes, this is a healthier alternative to hash browns or home fries. It's a terrific side for breakfast or any other meal for those of us trying to eat more veggies for more Flat Belly food. Bonus: sweet potatoes help boost your mood and if so many picky baby eaters love this food, I think Mother Nature gave it an advantage for our bodies! By cutting up the sweet potato into small diced cubes, you can cook this in about 5-minutes!

5-minute RECIPE
olive oil or grapeseed oil
1 small sweet potato cut into small cubes
4-5 mushrooms (white button ok, crimini preferred)
1 dash (2 tbsp) of white wine (optional) or water
Italian herbs that you have handy (3-4 fresh basil leaves, sprinkle of oregano, 3-4 stems of fresh thyme leaves)
salt + pepper to taste
optional: for those who like more spicy or more flavor
a pinch of smoked paprika or taco seasoning

Warm skillet over medium heat. Warm oil before putting in chopped veggies and liquid. Cover to steam and make the sweet potatoes cook up quickly. In the next 2 minutes chop up herbs and add. Cover for another minute or until the sweet potatoes look tender enough for a fork to pierce easy. Makes 1-2 servings (depending on the size of your sweet potato and your appetite!)

If you have trouble getting your minimum 5-7 servings of veggies/day, you can strategize by picking one meal a day that you have better control over -- whether it's breakfast or lunch to really focus your veggie efforts. Smoothies with added spinach or kale can help. To boost your veggie varieties, you can try this tasty greens powder that can be added to smoothies, soups, and other foods like our turkey meatballs recipe.

Flat Belly tips for Heart Health, Detox, Optimal Health, Weight Loss

We had great amount of interest from different people for our FREE health teleseminar on Tuesday - from athletes to heart health hikers to people who want to kick their sugar addiction. Our coaching programs are not just geared for healthy weight loss, it also helps you keep your diabetes and heart risks lower as you learn to eat "low-glycemic impact" with all your snacks and meals. Right click on this link to download the recording or simply click to listen.

As a health coach and healthy foodie chef, I want you to know our programs are about eating smarter and enjoying life more! No calorie counting, simply strategies for a lifetime of wellness!
* Why you might want to consider a 7-day healthy detox to help you kick your sugar cravings and flatten your belly with Coach Jen: "You are what you eat. You are what you don't detox."
* If any of the 5 fat factors aren't balanced and part of your life, you'll want to check out our healthy weight loss program. Do you need help w stress redux, sleep management, mind-body awareness, nutrition or exercise?
* Are you eating a healthy low-glycemic breakfast every day? This helps you keep the sugar cravings away and manage your blood sugar (and lower diabetes risks).
* How can you implement a new healthy habit? (Check the recording or contact me!)

For your free FLAT BELLY worksheet, email me so we can send you the PDF worksheet directly!
Do you want to win over $500 worth of prizes in a local weight loss contest? Schedule your FREE 20-min phone consult now to see how you can qualify before the Sept 24th deadline! Look hot for the holidays and new year! You can live anywhere with a phone and internet -- I can help you with health coaching. Why wait to get your best body and health? Get started now!

Why should I eat clean?

Why should I eat clean? What is a healthy detox week?

To my surprise, one of my students wasn't so grumpy yesterday. In fact, he was sharing his delight in his health changes.

He had just gotten through doing his detox week of eating clean and reported to me that he noticed he didn't want the cookies that were catered to a company lunch. Big victory! That ever since he's been steady about eating breakfast, having a breakfast smoothie full of veggies and fruit, that he notices he doesn't really want sweets the same as before! That people have been commenting that he looks like he's lost weight. This is only after about a month of nutrition coaching. While he's only lost a few pounds, eating cleaner has decreased his inflammation (thus a healthy glow from his skin and face) and improved his health outlook (less stress on his heart health and diabetes issues).

I've had other students improve from issues related to stomach stress like acid reflux or irritable bowel syndrome. I even had a 30-something student, who had his mother's joint pain from gout, who was very limited in his daily activities to graduate to biking, gardening, and doing yoga exercises regularly. Learning to take care of your health can help diminish the late night munchies and improve quality of your sleep. While weight loss and looking great can be a top motivator for people handle their health concerns, ultimately cleaning up your nutrition has long-term and daily benefits of feeling better energy and improving your mood! Contact me (embodyhealth at gmail) to learn more about a healthy detox week or how to work with your health concerns.

More reasons to drink homemade smoothies

When you drink a homemade smoothie, you can be sure what ingredients you have to best improve your health, without the added sugar from a smoothie cafes that use ice cream or sherbets, or the disintegration of nutrients from ones sitting on the shelf at the grocery store.

Most of us don't get enough servings of fruits and veggies in our diet - which why I encourage my nutrition/weight loss students to focus on to get the fiber from fruits and veggies to help flatten their belly from the inside out! Now, I'm excited to share with you more reasons why smoothies can give you ENERGY -- at the cellular level, besides the usual vitamins and antioxidants you might already know about.

Now, I was reading about CoQ10 for getting energy to mitochondria and found that it has an anti-aging buddy PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone) that can help build new mitochondria. For the nerds out there, you can click on the Journal link below and I dare you to try to say the full words PQQ and CoQ10 correctly as fast as you can. So from here on, because it's a tongue-twister for me, we'll just refer to it as P-Q-Q. For everyone else, just know that CoQ10 is great for your heart and tissues (helps decrease my chances of bleeding gums when flossing), and PQQ studies can help improve brain function (especially important for those who have family history of Alzheimers, Parkinsons or dementia etc).

So for those with low attention span, I'll give you some recipe ideas here that will help get the energy boosting foods on the PQQ common foods list from the Biochem Journal now.

I promise that uncooked spinach in a smoothie does not have a flavor or the hairy teeth effect of some cooked spinach. Also, using frozen fruit allows you to get the cool taste for a summer smoothie without adding ice or sugary sorbets.

Kiwi Energy smoothie (If you don't mind seedy taste from the kiwis)
1 generous handful of spinach, 2 peeled and cut-up kiwis, 1 cup frozen organic blueberries (berries are less expensive frozen!), 1 tbls coconut oil, 4-8 oz of coconut water or almond milk (place first 5 ingredients to blend) then stir in 1 tbl of chia seeds for added fiber and omega-3. Optional flavors to add: fresh mint leaves. Optional to boost digestive health: blend in flavorless aloe powder (1 packet). You can omit coconut oil (good fats!) if you don't like coconut taste.

Banana Fanatics smoothie (for those who want the creamy tropical taste or don't like seeds)
1 generous handful of spinach, 1 banana, 1/2 cup frozen or fresh papaya, 1/2 a medium apple, 1 tbls coconut oil, 4-8 oz of coconut water or almond milk. Blend these 6 ingredients. If you like seeds texture, then add 1tbl of chia seeds for added fiber and omega-3. Optional to boost digestive health: blend in flavorless aloe powder (1 packet). If you like cinnamon, sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon (healthy blood sugar support without added sweet calories) into your smoothie for a hint of banana bread flavor.

Savory side dish energy boost
Slice up sweet potatoes and carrots, mix in bowl with crushed garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Roast in oven or sautee in pan on medium-low until desired texture. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley when root veggies are ready. This is good to make in a big batch because once made, they sit well in the fridge for quick snacking or adding as a side to a quick meal.

Strength training anywhere

De-mystified: Get strength training exercises anywhere with bands, dumbbells, and body weight 

Strength training is important for anti-aging (keep muscle tone), healthy weight management (boost metabolism = fat burning), and great for improving daily tasks (get out of bed without back pain = core strength and well-aligned squats). Strength training is doing the same exercise repeatedly until "failure" where you think can't do anymore. Then doing 2-4 sets of these "reps" (with a rest period in between) helps you recruit new muscle fibers as you have exhausted a group of muscle fibers in the first set. When I teach a fitness class, whether 1-1 or in a group, we do super-sets, which means we stimulate lower body muscle tone, switch to upper body (to allow the lower body to "rest"), and then repeat.  If we're not super-setting, we stay active during the "rest period" with core strength exercises, cardio, or treat you to stretching.

You don't need fancy weight machines to get your strength training. Creativity with bands, dumbbells, and body weight works your muscle tone anywhere. That means we can workout at the park, on travel at the hotel, or at a conference room through a workplace wellness class. To get the most results out of your strength-training efforts, you want to remember fuel your body properly, just like my weight loss students need to manage their blood sugar by eating every 3-4 hours.

In today's carb-heavy junk food environment, it is up to you to keep healthy snacks in your gym bag, purse, or office desk with you so you are never desperately hungry. Some kind of carb+protein snack an hour before you work out and a protein-centric meal to help your muscles rebuild. If you need help getting protein on-the-go, smoothies are a great way pack in antioxidants and protein! And don't forget your fiber-rich veggies to help you detox and eliminate waste products from exercise and improve digestion! If you don't get enough fiber (email us for a fiber-ful worksheet), you can support your health with either a protein+fiber shake or a detox fiber powder that will help flatten your stomach.

Now, the key to good exercise is that we recover and can continue to do more workouts. Most people forget about exercise recovery, especially with the adrenaline high from exercise, you don't feel the exhaustion or pains until later. I have been working with some long-distance cyclists who need to watch out for "over-heating" with the hot LA weather, or simply exhaustion from a long ride. Are you fueling and hydrating enough for your workout, your hike, or ride? Are your muscles sore for too long and you're getting "charlie horses?" If your muscles are stiff, you're likely to be one of the many athletes who aren't getting enough potassium and magnesium, even if you eat your bananas and green veggies. Coconut water is your best friend of potassium against calf cramps and these days you can really pick you flavors. Happy exercising! (and recovery!)

Cooking with Mushrooms

Mushrooms have great antioxidants and minerals, but some people ask, how do I eat more mushrooms? I say you can add it to everything, from breakfast to dinner!
* veggie shroom egg scramble
* add it to your turkey chili or most soups
* add it into your veggie mix of a stirfry
* put it in sauces to help soak up your flavors and give you more chew to the sauce

May seasonal fruits

I'm excited to check out upcoming Farmer's Markets here in Los Angeles, the seasonal produce is changing and we'll get some of my favorite fruits that are not found other times of the year:
* apricots
* nectarines
* peaches
* figs
Vegetables like summer squash have been around earlier, and I really like this "What's in season" page for finding out what's around at the farmer's market. I'm a berry fan and often disappointed at what I see at the regular grocery stores, so I'm planning a trip to "pick your own berries" at this family farm.

If you're not able to get your berries everyday or if you're not a fan of berries, this ORAC supplement is a powerful delivery system of berries like cranberries and elderberry I don't get around to eating and can help support healthy vision. I have trouble with my night vision, and if I don't get my berries, I actually have cravings for berries! So I have a back-up of frozen berries in my freezer, and there is also my new favorite frozen Greek yogurt place that has terrific fruit toppings to help quench my cravings and cope with the hot weather. Seasonal fruits make for a quick healthy dessert or a great topping on salads. Hope you'll find or re-discover some favorites in the next few weeks!

Quick skin health for busy people

Our busy lifestyles sometimes leaves some self-care routines short-changed.  Since our skin is our largest organ and I care about my health, I need to take care of it just as much as eating healthy organic foods!

I have sensitive skin and used to have all kinds of eczema and breakouts as a teen, so I'm hesitant to use anything with too many ingredients. My days in college, people raved about witch hazel but it was too drying for my T-zone combination skin. Now, in Los Angeles with some of the desert weather, I need to be on top of cleaning and moisturizing my skin. And why not use a moisturizer with Vitamins C and E to protect my skin from cellular damage from the pollution and sun? I've been delighted to find this discounted kit (save 20%) that matches my healthy lifestyle that has aloe and other gentle natural ingredients for cleansing and toning plus my favorite vitamin anti-aging/antioxidant moisturizer! For busy people, it's a quick 3 steps of cleanse, tone, and moisturize.

A number of my fashionista friends talk about and take a supplement biotin for their skin health. However, with a little research, it's best taken in synergy with other vitamins and antioxidants for your best results for beauty from the inside out. I had an 70-year-old who had tried lots of different supplements for anti-aging, and she really loved this skin health formula! There's even a study about Pycnogenol that shows the impact for post-menopausal women -- which is exactly what my 70-year-old experienced, bringing down some of her puffy eye symptoms and more.

Mayo-free egg salad

Trying to eat fewer processed foods? Here's an egg salad I improvised that you can make without mayo (a processed food usually pumped with flavoring and other junk).

RECIPE
4 boiled eggs and peeled, still warm (free-range organic omega 3 preferred)
1 tsp fresh dill chopped
2 squeezes of fresh lemon (make a circle around the bowl 2x)
1 tsp of coconut oil (room-temp so it spreads easy)
1/4 tsp of smoked paprika
fresh ground pepper, salt
(yields approx 2 servings)

If you like more creamy, you can add more coconut oil or olive oil. If you want more herb flavor, please add more dill. Egg salad is great to have around as a snack or as a topping on gluten-free toast as a healthy breakfast option.

This won't taste like the egg salad you get from the store, but it is tasty and you can taste your food and fresh herbs with this recipe instead of something that is overburdened with sauce. And it uses less than 10 ingredients! When you eat cleaner food, your tastebuds will thank you! You'll taste more of the fresh herbs and you won't crave the junk food as much. Email me to find out more about detoxing and rehabbing your gut. You can still be a foodie while being healthy!

Quality Eggs

Quality eggs are not obvious with all the different labels. Here's a great article from Organic Consumers Association on what words to look for: “Free Range” is better than “Cage Free,” but “Pasture Raised” is best. Avoiding cheap factory farm eggs is not only the right thing to do for your vote on agricultural practices but also for your health. Eggs got a bad rap in the 1980s about their nutrition, but when you get what I call "happy eggs," you'll get Omega-3 good fats and other important vitamins and minerals. Eggs are an inexpensive protein packed full of nutrients if you get the right ones. Egg-xcellent!