Last week we made the list, this week we are going to the store.  Most people I talk to 'hate' going to the grocery store. I was one of those people, but below are a few tips to make the trip a breeze.   Don’t shop hungry. Everyone knows this, but it should be repeated. Eat a banana, apple, or peanut butter cracker before you head out the door. Shop by yourself. This will save time and money by not giving into everyone's snack whims. Try to go to the grocery store at off times. Sometimes, we get into a rut and think that all chores need to be done on the weekend. Hint: Sunday a ..read more

   If you feel overwhelmed when you get home from work and don’t have the energy for shopping and cooking, you have come to the right place!  Given the many benefits, more people want to prepare meals at home, but are unsure of how to begin.  Time pressures, picky eaters, the need for quick meals, and lack of confidence in the kitchen are just a few barriers to getting started 1.   In this blog series, I’ll give practical tips to help overcome these obstacles and bring joy back to your kitchen.  This series will cover several topics including food lists, gro ..read more

"Eating in our time has gotten complicated--needlessly so, in my opinion."  I completely with the first line of Michael Pollan's book, Food Rules.  In all the talk about macros, antioxidants, omega 3's, probiotics and prebiotics, we have forgotten how to eat!    I love to talk about food and all the beautiful components of food, but there are some rules we can apply to make grocery shopping easier and less confusing.  Michael Pollan lays them out simply in this book that is a great starting point for anyone who wants to eat healthier, but gets lost in food market ..read more

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. In fact, one person dies every 36 seconds from heart disease. Your cardiovascular system is a complex system that includes the heart, 1.5 gallons of blood and over 100,000 miles of blood vessels!  We now know that chronic inflammation plays a major role in cardiovascular disease.  Blood pressure is the force of blood against artery walls and when chronically high it can result in blood vessel damage and scarring.  Smoking and the overconsumption of sugar can also lead to chronic inflammation and damage to the b ..read more

Our culture has  a complicated relationship with sleep.  Everyone has heard the old saying "I'll sleep when I am dead", but the truth is that sleep is the foundation on which the other pillars of health, diet and exercise, stand.  Acute sleep loss results in  memory lapses, increased risk of car accidents, and decreased mental and physical performance. Chronic sleep loss is associated with heart disease, cancer, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. One of the largest contributing factors to poor sleep is alcohol consumption.   Below are a few facts related to alcohol and ..read more

My sister works at the hospital and after three 12 hours shifts in a row, the last thing you want to do is spend all day in the kitchen.  She inspired to come up with a quick meal prep guide that can be  accomplished even when you are tired. An easy way to meal prep is to think of it as your own Chipotle line.  Choose your base, protein, toppings, and sauces. Put in a bowl and go.  Here are a few tips to save time:  Cook your protein and base at the same time. For example, you can put two pounds of chicken in the slow cooker with chicken broth, wrap a few sweet potat ..read more

We can be our own worst enemy when moving toward a healthier lifestyle.  We overthink, get inside our own heads, become discouraged, and quit.  Today, let's look at 5 ways to leap over your mental hurdles and become a healthier, more energetic you!    Start from a place of love, not hate.  As with all actions in life, you will have more success if you come from a place of love instead of hate.  If you are constantly thinking that you hate your body and fill your brain with negativity, your new life will not get off the ground.  Treat yourself like you ar ..read more

Have you read about insulin and insulin resistance, but are not quite sure what it is or what it has to do with your health?  You have come to the right place!  Today we are going to talk about glucose, blood sugar , sugar crashes, and a few tips to reduce your sugar intake. What is blood sugar? A carbohydrate in its simplest form is glucose.  Glucose is what is being measured when we talk about ‘blood sugar’. It is an important energy source that can used by cells in the body. There is a small amount of glucose in the bloodstream at all times and the amount is tightly controlle ..read more

Since it is August, let's start with the most important foundation, hydration!  Water is an often overlooked nutrient, but water is the most common nutritional deficiency in the US.  The average amount of water intake among US adults is about 5 cups! Unlike some vitamins and minerals, we cannot store water in our bodies. For an average adult, 55-60% of their body weight is water or about 10-13 gallons.   Water plays essential roles in the body, such as the transport of nutrients, cushioning bones and joints, regulation of body temperature, removal of wastes and toxins, and ..read more

As a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, I can help you reach your health goals by supporting and bringing balance to the five foundations. The five foundations of health are digestion, blood sugar regulation, hydration and the proper intake of minerals and dietary fats. I get a lot of questions about these, so in this series we will dig into each of the topics ..read more