Tag: health

Perspective

On By Cultivate WellnessIn Health and wellness1 Comment

We got back recently from a much-needed spring break trip to somewhere much, much warmer than Minnesota. Traveling is always such a good reminder that it’s important to step away from regular life in order to get some perspective on things. Without fail, anytime I leave my home (whether it’s for a quick trip up north to a cabin, or a longer trip to a different country), I am able to see things in a different way. That thing that bothers me so much at home? Space and distance helps me realize it’s not a big deal. Meeting new people from different walks of life? A really good reminder that the bubble I live in is just that: a bubble. It’s important to re-learn this lesson, over and over.

So, I didn’t cook on vacation, and I truly enjoyed being provided with all my meals each day. However, I also realize how hard it is to eat 80/20 (80% health-affirming, 20% whatever TF I want) when I don’t have control over what’s being served. Luckily, the place we stayed had tons of fruits and veggies, really fresh fish and salads, made to order smoothies, etc. On the converse, it also had unlimited open bar and really good churros. I would say I veered more towards the 50/50 or maybe even 40/60, which was totally enjoyable but wholly unsustainable in the long run. I always welcome coming back home to my routine. Here’s a couple of photos of one of my breakfast and lunches, and you can see my plate is filled with really good stuff. On the left is one of my breakfasts and on the right is one of my lunches. I really miss my daily breakfast churro. Not pictured are the very yummy cocktails, the slab of steak and potatoes, the emergency hot dog I had to eat when my blood sugar dropped too low and nothing else was available (at home I would have had a banana, some peanut butter, Triscuits or something similar) and the six or seven mini desserts we would sample from the buffet. And it’s all good.

Plain yogurt with granola, oatmeal with chia seeds and almonds, veggie scrambled eggs, smoked salmon with caviar, and my beloved breakfast churro.
Salmon ceviche, salmon and cucumber salad, marinated hearts of palm and asparagus, a big green salad, some hominy and a bit of seaweed salad.

I came home to an obscene amount of snow mold everywhere, of which I’m super allergic, so this week has been rough so far. My throat is scratchy, my eyes are itchy, my nose is runny, and my energy is nonexistent. My meal plan for the week seems like it might be out the window, which is fine. My husband picked up convenience food from the grocery on the way home last night (veggie sushi and Brussels sprouts for me). I will take each day as it comes. In the meantime, here are a few of my favorite recipes from previous posts that you might enjoy. One pot pasta is a perennial favorite and so easy. Customizable in so many ways, you can make it your own. And now that it’s warm in a lot of places, it’s time to bring back the caprese pasta salad we love so much. This one is Dr. Jill Biden’s recipe. If you’re looking for something that isn’t pasta, try this BBQ chicken, Spanish style.

Have a tasty week!

The Cooking Continues! This Week/Last Week

On By Cultivate WellnessIn CookingLeave a comment

I hope this finds you enjoying some spring-like weather wherever you are. Here in Minnesota the snow is verrrrrry slowly melting, but the sun has decided to come back out and the promise of spring is there.

Last week’s dinner plan went well, and I continue to lean into pivoting with ingredients and sometimes entire menus when needed. One example is the Kathleen Ashmore salad from Monday. I opened the container of arugula to find that it had gone completely bad before I had a chance to use it. The only other thing I had on hand was half of a green cabbage, so I went with it. Not at all the same taste or texture, but it worked. Yesterday I had a persistent allergy headache from all the snow mold (the stuff that grows under the snow on the grass that is uncovered when the snow melts) so I let myself off the hook and instead of making this penne from Sunday’s plan, I threw together penne with jarred Rao’s tomato sauce and instead of the original plan of warm spinach salad, my daughter made a delicious spinach salad with cucumbers, pine nuts, shaved parmesan and this homemade balsamic vinaigrette. Perfect.

This week I’m doing something a little different. I bought ingredients for four different meals, and I am going to let my mood dictate what I make on each day Monday-Thursday. What can I say, I’m feeling sassy (I told you spring was in the air). The recipes for this week are: Kathleen Ashmore Quinoa Glow Salad, this yummy looking Mediterranean vegetable soup, these easy Chicken Sheet Pan Nachos (a request from my daughter), and Simple Veggie Curry. We have salad greens and leftover balsamic vinaigrette, plus some garlic naan in the freezer, so we can have some easy sides to accompany the appropriate dishes.

Here are a couple less-than-ideal photos of what I made last week.

Cabbage salad with white beans and roasted tomatoes
Lentil Stew topped with avocado and cilantro

Have a tasty week!

The Goal: Better Sleep

On By Cultivate WellnessIn Cooking2 Comments

Daylight Savings Time started today, which means the vast majority of people in the US “sprung forward” one hour in the middle of the night. It feels like one hour shouldn’t make a huge difference, but the fact is, heart attacks, strokes, and car accidents all increase in the days after DST.

Aside from DST and its effects, I’ve been thinking a lot about sleep in general lately. As a 48 year old woman in perimenopause, I’ve noticed sleep changes in the last couple of years that affect how rested I feel the next day. And I’m not alone – so many of my female friends tell me they are up at all hours of the night, suffering from night sweats, insomnia, and general feelings of exhaustion. I’m so tired some days it’s hard to function (which, admittedly, could also have something to do with the incessant snow and cloudy days we’ve been enduring this winter). While I’m hoping this will all work itself out over the course of this hormonal shift I’m going through, I feel like there are some things that I am doing recently that have been helpful. And there are some things I’m going to try this spring that I’m hoping will also help. I’m not a doctor or a medical professional, so if you want to try any of the supplements or modalities I’m discussing below, please make sure you consult with one before you start.

MAGNESIUM: I’ve been taking magnesium at night for years. I generally take 250 mg a night of Magnesium Citrate. Known as the “relaxing supplement”, I have noticed it really does make a huge difference. On nights when I forget to take it, my sleep is much worse. That being said, actual evidence is thin. Read this for more info.

EYE MASK: I started using this eye mask recently, which blocks out all light from my eyes. We live in a more urban setting which includes city lights making the sky brighter, street lights, security floodlights on neighbors’ houses, planes flying overhead, ambulances speeding down our street, etc. Plus both of our digital clocks are bright. Using this mask has helped me to sleep so much more deeply. It has an adjustable nose piece that lets you pinch it shut to your liking. At just about $10, it’s affordable and effective.

MELATONIN BODY LOTION: I tried out this lotion on my lower back/SI joints before bed, and holy cow. It made me sleep HARD. It also gave me incredibly vivid and imaginative dreams. I’m not sure the effects the day after are desirable, as I do feel like even though I slept great the night before, I felt some “hangover” effects from the melatonin. I’m one of those people who is sensitive to melatonin though. If you aren’t, this could be really useful for you.

BORING PODCASTS: I started listening to the podcast called Boring Books at Bedtime last month and it works like magic. A woman with a really soothing voice literally just reads super boring books. The benefit of this is that it allows my brain to shut off and I usually fall asleep within a few minutes. Otherwise, my brain goes into overdrive and sometimes won’t shut off. I also do meditation apps, which are super helpful. I like Calm and Headspace.

WHITE NOISE: I have tinnitus (that annoying ringing in your ears all. the. time.) To cover up that noise, we keep a fan or humidifier going all the time at night.

KEEPING MY ROOM COOL: I have started cracking the window at night, even in the dead of winter. When I don’t, I wake up sweaty. When I do, I sleep much more peacefully.

WEIGHTED BLANKET: I love mine, and when I travel and don’t have one, I can tell the difference. Mine is old and out of stock, but there are tons of options out there.

There are some things I do that are huge no-no’s in terms of sleep hygiene, such as looking at my phone up until the minute I put it down to go to sleep, having a TV in the room, and drinking caffeine in the afternoon. We cannot be perfect, and up until recently I didn’t feel like those habits were detrimental to my sleep. I’m willing to revisit those if my sleep quality tanks.

What I am willing to do right now:

BLUE FILTER GLASSES: These were recommended by the New York Times and are under $10. Easy.

ABSTAIN FROM ALCOHOL MOST DAYS: I have started recently reserving Fridays and Saturdays (and occasionally Sunday) for my favorite cocktail or glass of wine, and staying “dry” the other nights. I am committing to doing this through the spring to see if it helps my sleep. I know it’s healthy in a lot of other ways, too!

What do you use to help you sleep at night? Drop a comment below! For those dealing with a time change, I hope this next week isn’t too painful!

Favorite Podcasts For The New Year

On By Cultivate WellnessIn exercise, Health and wellness, life hack, Nutrition, self improvementLeave a comment

I love a good podcast. I’m going through a phase right now where I just want to learn as much as possible about how to improve my daily life, whether through exercise, mindfulness, life hacks, or any number of “self improvement” type actions. I specifically am attracted to podcasts that are short and sweet. I’ve given up or severely restricted most social media and it has freed up my brain for so much more useful information. Which means I’ve been listening to podcasts like crazy lately! Below are my current five favorites, plus one that I’m excited to start listening to when it premiers later this month.

Last summer I binged on what to this day is one of my most favorite of all podcasts, Happier In Hollywood. It’s hosted by two female television writers who have been writing partners since high school. While some of what they cover is lighthearted and fluffy (like how to find the perfect black purse), they are also full of excellent job, life, fitness, nutrition, and other advice that I find so useful. They have great guests. And it’s just really fun to boot.

Happier in Hollywood is an offshoot of the Happier podcast by Gretchen Rubin. Gretchen is a writer who researches happiness and her books The Happiness Project and Happier at Home, to name a few, might sound familiar. Her podcast is also chock full of advice, all of which is designed to help you maximize your happiness quotient.

I recently discovered The Magic Pill, a podcast hosted by a Harvard Medical School physician and a health journalist. Each snippet (they are all around 8 minutes or so) is full of great information geared to inspire us to make exercise a regular part of our life. We learn the science behind exercise and all the other benefits. This is a 21 day podcast in which each day you receive an email with that day’s episode. It’s fast, it’s fun and it’s full of great info.

NPR’s Life Kit has a similar podcast called Exercise: Learn to Love It (Or At Least Like It) and it’s similarly endearing. The first episode features Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s personal trainer. It’s about 20-ish minutes long, which is the perfect amount of time to go for a brisk walk while listening.

NPR’s Life Kit also has a new podcast called Eat Your Way To A Healthier Life which premiers in mid January. I’m including it here because the promo sounds great and I’m really excited for it. I also really respond to measured, scientifically-backed nutrition advice that isn’t sensationalistic.

And lastly, I will be listening intently to Side Hustle School. For anyone who has a “side hustle” (aka: a second venture beyond your full time job or something else you do on the side even if you don’t have a full time job that provides extra income and can help satisfy your entrepreneur cravings) or anyone who aspires to have a side hustle, this is a great podcast. Most episodes are 10 minutes or less and all are full of great insight and advice.

One more fun tidbit: if you have a podcast you love and want to introduce someone to it, you can use the Gift of Podcast free printable. It’s great for people in your life who don’t know how to use podcasts, as the printable gives step by step instructions. There’s also a spot for you to write the name of the podcast as well as why you recommend it. I put one in my husband and daughter’s stockings this year.

What are your favorite podcasts? Comment in the section below!

Your Immune System

On By Cultivate WellnessIn disease, family, health, Health and wellness, Nutrition, supplement, wellnessLeave a comment

allergy-cold-disease-flu-41284.jpeg

Flu season is rampant this year, with a strain that isn’t well matched to the vaccine (current estimates place it at about a 10-30% match). While getting the flu vaccine is at the top of my family’s to-do list every fall (here is a good overview on why we believe in the flu vaccine), there are other things we do to support our immune system, like eating healthy foods, getting exercise, and supplementing with Vitamin D. I also take a daily zinc supplement (read here about why zinc is important).

There can be many reasons for why our immune system isn’t functioning at optimal levels, including drinking too much alcohol, having high stress levels, and eating too many refined carbs/sugars. While getting sick from common viruses like colds and enterovirus (aka: stomach flu) is quite normal, if you find yourself getting sick often, it’s worth it to get checked out for underlying causes.

Even though I know all the things to do in order to keep my immune system in good shape, I still get sick a couple of times a year. We can’t always nip our stress in the bud as quickly as we would like, or it’s the holidays and we are partaking in more rich food and alcohol than we normally do (not to mention our exercise routines tend to go out the window in November and December). Keep this handy info page taped to your fridge or mirror to remind yourself of all the ways that you can naturally help your immune system be stronger.  And remember, this information should never take the place of a discussion with your doctor or trusted health professional, and never start a supplement without first talking to your medical professional.

immune system page 1

Immune system page 2

Ginger Turkey Stir Fry — A New Recipe For Depression Support

On By Cultivate WellnessIn Cooking, disease, eating, health, Health and wellness, Nutrition, Recipes, wellnessLeave a comment

I received a lot of feedback and traffic to the blog when I posted the High Protein Smoothie recipe for depression nutrition support. The post seemed to strike a nerve, and it’s no wonder. Depression and anxiety are on the rise. Kids, especially, are suffering at ever increasing rates. According to a New York Times article today: “In 1985, the Higher Education Research Institute at U.C.L.A. began asking incoming college freshmen if they “felt overwhelmed by all I had to do” during the previous year. In 1985, 18 percent said they did. By 2010, that number had increased to 29 percent. Last year, it surged to 41 percent.”

In 32 years, the rate of U.C.L.A. freshman who feel overwhelmed rose by over 200%. This is startling.

I can’t begin to address the issue of depression and anxiety in depth like mental health professionals can. It’s an intricate problem with many factors, and I primarily focus on the nutrition aspect. But, I can say that we as a civilization seem to be moving further away from spending time together in person. People feel isolated and alone. This is one reason why I proposed Crappy Dinner nights, which have taken off like gangbusters and are now a weekly occurrence amongst my friends. Another factor that has been studied is our lack of time in nature. Children are given less time to play outside during school and adults spend most of their days indoors as well (I wrote a post about this, you can read it here).

One thing I know for sure is that our diets, what we eat and drink, is negatively affecting our mental health. Inflammation plays a role in our mental well-being, just as it does with cardiovascular, metabolic, and brain health. When we eat mostly pro-inflammatory foods like highly processed flours and sugars, our brains aren’t being fed what they need to be happy and healthy. Our gut health, which is a key factor in the health of our other bodily systems, is worse for the wear when we eat these pro-inflammatory foods. If our gut microbiota is out of whack, so is the rest of us. You can read about it in the paper titled “The Gut-Brain Axis: The Missing Link in Depression” in Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience. In the conclusion, the authors write: “Poor diet is a risk factor for depression; thus, a healthy diet may prevent depression. Regulation of the gut microbiota using diet, probiotics and FMT may have important benefits for preventing and treating depression”.  For those wondering what FMT means, it’s fecal microbiota transplantation, which is a process used for certain gastrointestinal diseases like Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis.

To be clear: I do not believe people who are depressed or anxious can magically cure themselves with diet. If it were that easy, no one would be suffering. But I do believe diet can play a role in mental health and wellness, just as it can when we are battling cancer, heart disease, or diabetes. It’s a piece of the puzzle.

So, my advice to anyone with depression or anxiety is to, little by little if that’s what’s feasible, add in some anti-inflammatory foods to your diet. Try to crowd out the cookies and crackers with whole foods like high quality proteins, fats and complex carbohydrates. These foods will nourish your brain and help reduce inflammation. Use lots of herbs and spices a.k.a. “booster foods”. And please, don’t ever go off any medications or treatments without the express consent from your doctor. 

See below for an easy and delicious Ginger Turkey Stir Fry recipe. If it were me, I’d make the brown rice using frozen pre-cooked rice from the grocery store. It saves a lot of time and leaves you one less pot to wash. If you feel like having chicken or beef, use that instead. Opt for high-quality, grass fed meat as much as possible. They are higher in Omega-3 fatty acids. 

**I am not a doctor nor am I qualified to give medical advice. Please see a licensed medical professional for any medical concerns you might have.

 

 

RECIPES FOR ANXIETY_DEPRESSION

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Crappy Dinner Party (It’s A Good Thing!)

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The Importance of Zinc

Midweek Mashup! A Book Rec, A Favorite Product, and An Insightful Article on Resilience.

On By Cultivate WellnessIn disease, family, health, Health and wellness, stress, wellness1 Comment

MIDWEEK MASHUP

So, how is your summer going? Is it long and lazy and wonderful? Is it busy and hectic and going too fast? Somewhere in between? For me it’s been the latter, and I’m none too happy about it. So, I’ve cleared my calendar for a few days and the plan is to simply relax and enjoy some rest.

First up on my non-agenda is to read the book The Art Of Being Ill: Or How To Be A Better Patient. I won’t bore you with details but the past two months have been an immunological roller coaster. My doctor finally gave me orders to rest, something I have a very hard time doing. I am looking forward to reading this book on the art of self care. Apparently before we entered the age of busy-ness, during the “Days of Yore”, people did a really wonderful job of convalescing. Laying around in bed and resting up was an art form. I’ll write an update soon and let you know what I thought of the book.

Secondly, I want to tell you about a fantastic product that I discovered my friend KC at Word Savvy using. I went to her house to pick her up one morning and her essential oil diffuser was on in her kitchen. I didn’t notice any clutter, or any dirty dishes or anything else because the diffuser made the entire room seem peaceful and calm. I immediately got online and bought one for myself. Depending on my mood and malady, I use different essential oils. I’m still learning about mixing essential oils but when I really need some calm I always just go for lavender. It doubles as a small humidifier so during the winter, next to my bed, it’s a very inexpensive luxury.

And lastly, I highly recommend reading this article from the “Well” section of the New York Times on boosting resilience in your adult years. There’s a lot out there about how we can help kids be resilient, but adults are also capable of building resilience, even in their older years. If you’re going through a traumatic experience such as a layoff, a scary diagnosis, or a family crisis, it is important to realize that you can navigate through it without succumbing to the fear and stress. “There is a biology to this,” said Dr. Charney. “Your stress hormone systems will become less responsive to stress so you can handle stress better. Live your life in a way that you get the skills that enable you to handle stress.”

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Midweek Mashup

Midweek Mashup

Vitamin D, The “Sunshine” Vitamin

On By Cultivate WellnessIn disease, health, Health and wellness, Nutrition, summer, supplement, wellness1 Comment

sunshine drawing.png

This time of year, when the weather starts to hint at warming up in colder climates, you might think that you don’t need to supplement with vitamin D anymore. Or maybe you’ve never supplemented and think that because you live in a more temperate place like San Francisco or Kansas City that you get enough from the sun. But the truth is, if you draw a line from Atlanta across the U.S. and your city falls above it, you won’t get any meaningful vitamin D from the sun most of the year. Additionally, many people aren’t good “converters” of vitamin D, meaning they might get a lot of unprotected sun and still not have adequate levels of vitamin D.

It’s for all those reasons that supplementing with vitamin D is a good idea. And because so many of us wear sunscreen religiously throughout the summer, I don’t even stop taking my supplements in the warmer months (although I do cut back from about 3,000 IUs a day to 1,000 IUs). Read and print this informative page for more important vitamin D information.

***I am not a doctor and I am not qualified to prescribe any therapy or medication. Please always check with your practitioner before you start taking any new supplements. Vitamin D

Mocktails — Green Tea Mojitos

On By Cultivate WellnessIn cocktails, Cooking, diet, disease, health, Health and wellness, holiday, Kids, Recipes2 Comments

cocktailsmocktails

My 12 year old daughter is having a sleepover tonight and instead of the usual soda, I think I will make this Green Tea Mojito recipe for them to try (obviously as a mocktail).  I want to test it out for an upcoming dinner party we are attending. The dinner party is on St. Patrick’s Day and I have a 5k the next morning that I’ve been actually training for these last couple of months. And I want to do well. Generally if you want to do your best in a 5k you do all the right things the night before, which includes getting enough sleep, eating nutritiously  and abstaining from alcohol. Totally boring, I know. But I’m committed this time!  My usual M.O. is to sign up for a 5k with plans to “really train this time”.  And then a week before the race I realize that I methodically have trained 3x week using a calendar that I’ve printed out and taped up on the wall failed to do any training whatsoever. So I suck it up and do the 5k and want to die by 1/4 mile in because I’m not at all prepared. But something clicked for me this past fall and I’ve been as committed to my exercise as I have been to my other healthy habits. Hence the “dry” St. Patrick’s Day.

I thought this recipe with green mint looked fun for St. Patty’s day . I love mint and I love green tea. Did you know green tea has lots of antioxidants and cancer-fighting polyphenols? Studies have also shown that people who drink green tea regularly have less belly fat, lower cholesterol, and better blood sugar control.  The original calls for white rum, and I figure I can bring a carafe of the mix without the alcohol and people can add it if they want.

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh!

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Fats, Carbs and Protein For The Win

On By Cultivate WellnessIn breakfast, Cooking, diabetes, diet, disease, dysglycemia, eating, health, Health and wellness, Nutrition, wellness2 Comments

I have always struggled with my blood sugar. I am infamous in my family for getting, shall we say, cranky if my blood sugar dips. I regularly get a little lightheaded upon standing if it’s been too long since I last ate, and there have been times when I have gotten sweaty, shaky, and nauseated from waiting too long to eat.

I always just thought that this was how I was built. I couldn’t understand it when people told me they regularly skipped meals. I couldn’t fathom how that was even possible. In my recent studies to become a Nutrition Consultant, I’ve been learning a lot about blood sugar irregularities, also knows as dysglycemia. Because of regular blood tests, I know that everything else is functioning normally, and so far my low blood sugar issues haven’t caused any damage. BUT, left unchecked, high or low blood sugar can lead to all kinds of problems. We all know diabetes is a huge problem in our country, and chronically high blood sugar can (and probably will) lead to a Type 2 Diabetes diagnosis somewhere down the line unless you get it under control.

The good news is there is a lot we can do with our nutrition to help stabilize our blood sugar. Last week I started a concerted effort to make sure every single snack and meal contained a healthy fat (think nuts, avocado, fish, whole fat yogurt, olives, olive oil), a healthy carb (like those found in sweet potatoes, sprouted grain toast, or an apple), and high quality protein (again, nuts and fish and yogurt, but also chicken, legumes, a hard boiled egg, or hummus). Plus for each meal, lots of non-starchy veggies. I also have been giving myself a snack a couple hours after breakfast. I used to try to just hold out until lunch, but would find myself literally counting the minutes until 11:00 a.m. Ever since I’ve made these changes, It has made a HUGE difference in my hunger levels. It used to be that every afternoon between about 2 pm and dinner time, I would be ravenous. Normally that’s when I would inhale too many crackers because my blood sugar was low and simple carbs were what my body was begging for. But for the last week my blood sugar feels quite stable. I can wait until 12:00 or 1:00 for lunch now that I’m having a snack. And that period between lunch and dinner is no longer excruciating (because I’m nourishing my body with what it needs earlier in the day). I’ve been on vacation with family and have been so much more flexible in when we eat our meals because I’m not feeling like I might pass out if I don’t eat rightthisverysecond.

I don’t know if my weight will change, and quite frankly I don’t care. I like the fact that I feel healthier, more flexible about my eating schedule, and less cranky. I’m sure my family will enjoy those benefits as well.

So, if you feel like maintaining an equilibrium with your blood sugar is an issue, try this method. It takes a bit of planning, but it is worth it. And please check back in with me and let me know if it works for you!

For healthy snacking ideas, click here.

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