Tips for a Healthy Holiday

I apologize for my long absence, the holiday season is crazy! I have not forgotten you dear readers, and I also hope you have not forgotten to take care of yourselves during these busy and festive times. Many of us know how hard it is to learn to say no to the donuts that can dominate an office setting, or to pass over the bagel that seems like such an easy choice. With the Christmas season upon us, temptations can surround us at every turn. Here are a few things you can do to stay healthy over the holiday, while still indulging in a few treats.

• Make your own holiday goodies, with real food and real ingredients. Those trans-fat, chemical laden sugar cookies from the store will be forgotten if you set a plate of Magic Brownie Bars next to them!
• Volunteer to do some of the cooking at the holiday dinners. This will give you some control over what goes into the food, and potentially avoiding a can-full of high fructose corn syrup.
• No time to cook? Learn how to navigate the table. Pass on the stuffing and rolls, double up on the meat and salad, and make sure to indulge in some mashed potatoes smothered in butter!
• Missing that glass of creamy eggnog? Making your own is easy, and can be done dairy free! Check out this coconut milk eggnog recipe, and enjoy every sip.
• Don't deprive yourself and remember, never tell yourself that you can't have something. Simply choose not to put bad things in your body. There is always a healthier substitution, and thanks to Google, ideas can be found in a snap!
• Remember to keep movement in your busy life! A half hour walk still leaves 23 and half hours in your day.

~Happy Holidays!

Sweet Potato Chili

So this recipe turned out really good, but please bear in mind that I don't measure things very often. You may have to tweak spices to taste!

2 lbs beef (I used 1/2 venison)
2 cups beef broth
2 sweet potatoes
1 - 28oz can crushed tomatoes
4 Roma tomatoes
1 large onion
2 carrots
2 bell peppers (I used a green and an orange)
1 jalapeño
1/2 of a bunch of cilantro (about 1/2 cup chopped)
3 large garlic cloves (minced or smashed)
1/2 tbs sea salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1-2 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 small cinnamon stick

Brown your meat and dice all of your veggies. Place all ingredients in a large crock pot and mix well. I cooked it on high for about two hours then left it on low for another three hours. Cook until sweet potatoes and carrots are soft, but be careful not to over cook, as your veggies get mushy. Enjoy!

Haddock with White Wine Caper Sauce

Tonight's dinner turned out pretty darn good so I thought I would share it!

2-4 haddock filets - seasoned lightly with sea salt and lemon pepper

Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, or until fish is flaky in the center.

Sauce:
3 Tbs butter
1/4 C white wine
Juice of 1 lime
1-2 Tbs capers
1-2 Tbs chopped cilantro
1 Tbs coconut flour
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp arrowroot powder (optional-thickens it up)

Melt butter in small sauce pan, add wine, lime juice capers and cilantro and bring to a simmer. Whisk in flour, garlic powder and arrowroot powder, return to a simmer. Pour over fish and serve! (I went with zucchini pancakes on the side)

For my family and friends

Since I have not participated in the Thankful Month postings that have dominated facebook, I decided to just make a blog posting. Here I will attempts to take care of all 30 days in one crack! In an effort not to bore you, you may want to scan for your name and skim the rest. :) So, here it goes...

• I am first and foremost thankful for my husband of seven years. Kevin, we have been together for nearly 13 years now, and growing, learning and changing with you has been a wonderful journey. Rough patches in the past and rough patches yet to come, the good times make it worth it. You are one of the strongest people I know and often keep me grounded, bringing balance, security and love to my life. I would not be the person I am without you.
• Thank you to my parents, for your hand in bringing me up to be the best I can be. 
• Mamiska, you have taught me that love can be shown in the simplest touch or the smallest action. You taught me to never stop growing and learning, it is NEVER too late! 
• Daddy, you taught me to take pride in the things I do, and never to "half ass" anything. Your unconditional love will stay with me always - RIP, I love you forever.
• Blood sisters - you know who you are. You two have no idea how much you mean to me. You know as well as I do that sisters don't have to be blood relatives and I am soooo lucky to have such a great relationship with the both of you. The following only scratches the surface of how I feel:
• Hilly, your determination to always stand tall is such an inspiration to me. I learned long ago to never doubt you. You continue to amaze me in all you do, and your sense of humor cracks me up, on a daily basis. If you ever doubt yourself, please remember, all you have to do is take a look at that amazing little girl beside you, and know you are a huge part of who she is.
• Mally, you have overcome things that most people can only read about or see on a screen. Perseverance and grit aside, you have managed to hang onto something very important...your heart. Most people would be hardened, but I am pretty sure your heart got bigger; I just hope you never forget to make room for yourself in there!
• Parents-in-law - I am the luckiest person alive, as far as this goes, you truly are like a second set of parents to me!
• Mom, you have always opened your heart and home to me. Your strong heart, commitment to the things that matter and determination to experience all that life has to offer has inspired me to do so many things in my life! Thank you for always being there for me!
• Dad, I will never forget when my pops passed away, you called me and said "Don't ever forget that you still have a dad." Those words still mean the world to me. Thank you for helping me remember unconditional love and continuing to teach me strength and pride!
• Sisters-in-law - you also know who you are! At some point or another, I feel like I have established a special relationship with every one of you, and you have all taught me things I will carry with me forever!
• Lindsey, I have know you longer than any other member of your family. It is strange how the world works, bringing us into the same family after a small lifetime of being mere acquaintances. I can tell you anything and know that you will just listen with an open heart, bringing all you have to offer to each situation. Thank you for always reminding me that love, understanding and acceptance truly are the most important things in life.
• Katie, what can I say, you hold a special place in my heart. You were pretty much responsible for bringing Kevin into my life (some days I am more thankful for this than others...hehe). We have spent a lot of time together in the past, and you have always provided me with a sanctuary outside of my own home. Thank you for being a big sister to me, I love you forever!
• Jen, you continue to teach me the deeper meaning of family. You are strong, kind and determined, and I admire you and all you do. I love being in your life, learning "Jenninesse"and knowing you will always have coffee!
• Steffie, I miss you more than you know. You always seemed to "get" me and I love that I can always make you laugh, while everyone else missed the joke. You put people around you at complete ease, and accept others for who they are. I will forever aspire to be as grounded as you are!
• Syd, getting to spend a summer with you was great. You are a wonderful, spirited person and I cannot wait to see the woman you become. I am here for you always.
• Brothers-in-law - you two have made me laugh, made me mad, made me smile and made me cry; which means you have both given me something I never thought I would have - brothers!
• Bob, we spent a lot of years in close proximity to each other, and you are responsible for my desire to always have clean kitchen counters! On a serious note, you helped me learn to take pride in all I do. You are also behind my ability to find a way to work and relax at the same time. You have always been there for me, taken chances on me, and given me more opportunity than I probably deserve! Thank you for always pushing me to be the best I can be! (I have a great memory of you driving that red mustang up north to rescue me, in a blizzard. I was terrified the whole drive back... :)
• Dave, I am so glad you moved to our neck of the woods. You not only brought me closer to more family members, but continue to reinforce the meaning behind what it means to be a family. I trust and value your opinions and know I can always count on your honesty. I feel we have bonded over the years of WoW, Kart, and Michael Connelly. May the years bring us more adventures!
• To my nieces and nephews - It would take me two weeks to list out all 12 of you, so I will do my best to cram it into one paragraph! I have enjoyed watching you all enter the world, find your voice, make mistakes, and continue to grow. You have each, in turn, filled my life with laughter, light and love...even the hope of having my own child, (followed closely by the desire to double up on birth control) ;) Thank you all for filling up the holes in my life with your unique personalities, please don't forget about me when you become rich and famous!
• For all of my friends, I am so blessed to have so many of you who really are more like family. I know it is impossible to list you all out and not miss someone, and I hope you all know who you are...but I am going to give it a quick try: Leslie, Lei, Jared, you guys are my oldest and closest friends. No matter how much time passes between visits, I feel like we pick up right where we left off, I will love you forever! Jen, Heidi, Ashley, Amanda, I feel like I have known you ladies my whole life. You guys have re-defined the meaning of soul-mates for me, I am lucky to have you all! Kayla, Brooke...sometimes I feel like we were all sisters in a past life :) I have never met two more unique and beautiful people. Thank you for making me part of your lives! There are more of you...Rena, Emily, Tarah, Nikki, Sarah...I love you all and I am so sorry if I missed anyone!
• And finally, I have to mention how thankful I am every day for my two knucklehead dogs. I love that I can be gone for 10 minutes or 10 days and I am greeted at the door with furry hugs and kisses. Digger and Gwynnie, you truly are my four-legged children!

That should about cover 30 days! I am truly blessed in my life, and could have continued on. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!

~Namaste

GMO's? OMG!

While it may seem to some of us that California is states away, and not our concern, I would like to take a moment to recognize the defeat of Prop 37. 

Those of you who know me well, are probably aware that I am not really a political person. I voted republican for many years, to make my parents proud, but my feelings of distrust and distaste fall onto all sides. I hate election season, the two party system, and the fact that the wellbeing of this country has taken a place miles behind the power of the almighty green dollar. I could go on, but I digress.

I have chosen to take my personal politics a step further than just casting my vote. (which, just to verify, I did do) My politics are now something that I can put into effect with each purchase I make at the grocery store, coop, farmers market or directly with a local farmer. 

I truly believe that the health and wellbeing of this country starts with what we put into our mouths. So many of us have fallen victim to convenience, abandoning our human instincts and following misguided information that is presented to us daily through various media sources. We have become so disconnected with our food, and its source, to the point that it has made us the sickest species on the planet. 

One of the biggest causes of debt in this country? Healthcare. Cancer, heart disease, emergency surgeries...medical bills are the leading cause of bankruptcy. We work hard, save for years, dreaming of retirement, only to have it wiped out by an avoidable heart attack. The sad and simple truth is that this most of this can be avoided...just by changing what you put into our mouths.

Which leads me to Prop 37...a proposition that would have required foods that have been genetically modified to be labeled as such; ensuring that consumers would be aware of what they were purchasing and putting into their bodies. Many devoted people spent over a year gathering the signatures required to secure a spot on the ballot for Prop 37, but California voted. These people, and their supporters, lost the battle. To quote Sean Croxton, of Underground Wellness:

"Apparently 55% of my State's populace doesn't mind being part of our nationwide food experiment."

I loved this, because that is exactly what it is; an experiment. These GMO foods are largely untested on humans, and as many of them are so new, no one will be able to determine the long term effects of until it is too late. 

What can we do about it? We can start by buying foods that don't need labels at all. We can take the time to care about our bodies, to reconnect with our food and its source. There is information out there to guide us, you just have to look. In the meantime, I will continue to stand up for what I believe. I will continue to learn, to read and to grow. I urge you all to read the blog post on this subject from Sean Croxton, linked here.  He also has an awesome youtube channel and a podcast with some very good and very real information. Until next time dear readers...

~Namaste

On Change

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."

-Ghandi-

One of the things I always tell my yoga students is that everyone's body is different, you must honor your own. This holds true to so many aspects of life. Lately, my own thoughts have been focused on change. Change - a word, a concept, an aspect - one that is truly what you make of it, and it is different for everyone. The one constant thing change has going, is that it is inevitable. 

Accepting this fact, accepting that change is going to happen no matter what, can bring a lot of peace to life. I don't pretend to have it all figured out, this is an ongoing learning process for me. It usually involves a lot of patience with myself and loved ones, which I also often struggle with. I try to remind myself that everyone is different and learns at a different pace. I would like to take this moment to share a few of the things that help bring me peace, patience and presence in my own life.

• Learning is really what change is about. Learning is what makes us grow, makes us become better people, working to create a better world to live in.
• Fear of change is something that we have all felt at one time or another, and it is something that we will all feel again. 
• No matter what we do, the world will continue to reach out and push change on us, and it will not always be gentle. Such is the way of life, a living, breathing, shifting thing. 
• There is nothing you  can do to change the past and your future has done nothing to deserve punishment.
• Recognize that the world is changing. Don't fight it, be part of it. Be awake, be present. It really is a beautiful thing, getting to choose. To choose, not just how we handle change, but what we put out into the world. 
• This peace and presence can come from connecting with yourself. The parts that make you who you are, thing things that go deeper that just perceptions and aspects of yourself. 

~Namaste~

An Ode to bacon

I hate to admit I used to be terrified of bacon. Now I am happy to admit I eat this deliciously cured pork belly as often as possible. It also seems to frequently come up in conversations (probably because I bring it up) and I have friends that have recently taken to sending me every bacon joke they find. I am ok with this, it usually gives me a good laugh.
I also think a lot about how conventional wisdom has us demonizing bacon; along with many other real foods that are suddenly discovered as "cancer causing" or "bad for us." You know the headlines I am talking about..."Red Meat Causes Cancer," "Egg Yolks Are Bad For High Cholesterol," and "Low Fat Diet To Lose Weight" have dominated the media for years. (Please allow me to digress a moment...)

I know first hand how hard it is NOT to just blindly follow information that is presented to us though the media. We want to put our trust in these things, we want it to be easy. I personally used to be a devoted follower of these headlines, until I realized they weren't actually working in my favor. What happened to change my mind? Information; but it started with asking questions.

With wondering how everything the headlines and the doctors tell us is the "right way" was not working for me. Why was meat bad for us all of the sudden? What was I doing wrong? Why was I hungry ALL the time? Why was I still gaining weight? Why should I have to take a pill for anxiety? Why was I anxious to begin with? And now I can't sleep?! Why should I have to take another pill?   

It took all of this and more, combined with the right information, from the right person, at the right time to open my eyes to everything else that is out there...if you look for it. I wish it weren't so circumstantial, but unfortunately that is what it comes down to for most of us. I just hope I can be one of the people that is here at the right time for someone else.

Now, back to bacon.

I prefer to cook up the entire package of bacon so I can have the grease handy for cooking. That stuff is good in pretty much anything. The only problem I have with bacon grease is that I sometimes run out of it before I run out of the cooked bacon. Good thing the dogs like bacon too. :)
I could sing praises about its delicious crispy flavor all day, but most of you know what I am talking about. What I am really want to do is to fill you in on a few of the good things that actually come from bacon and cooking with bacon grease. Lets first address part of what makes people hesitate, the burning  question on fat:

Doesn't eating fat make you fat? 
While this may sound logical, fat consumption does not actually make you fat. (I have touched on this in a previous blog entry.) Your body, and its distribution of adipose (fat) tissue is much more complicated that this. Most commonly, the overconsumption of the carbohydrates is what leads to the storage of body fat. This, in turn, throws the hormones, insulin and glucagon, out of whack. These two hormones are responsible for when calories are stored as fat, and for most of us, they can be regulated by what we eat. There is so much we could discuss on this topic, so in the interest of staying focused on bacon, here are some additional reads you can check out for more info on why eating fat does not make us fat:

• "Good Calories, Bad Calories," or the condensed version, "Why We Get Fat and What to Do About it," by Gary Taubes.
• This is a great blog post, from Mark Sisson, about why fats are better than carbs as a fuel source.
• Check out what Wikipedia even has to say on the matter of carbohydrate metabolism.

Before we leave the fat discussion behind, I want to reiterate a bit on saturated fat. Saturated fat is another thing that has been wrongfully accused for years. Also discussed in my previous blog entry, saturated fat gets its name because it is fully saturated, which means it is very stable, which means it is safe to consume, even when heated. The point I really want to make here is that bacon is actually 50% monounsaturated fat. Thats the same kind of primary fat you find in olive oil; which we all should recognize as being a healthy fat.
Does all of this mean I am advising you to stock up on as much of the cheapest bacon you can find? Of course not. There is so much to be said for food quality. It is impossible to get good health from a sick animal, making it important to seek foods from animals raised on their natural diet, in a healthy, natural environment whenever possible. (So in the case of pig, we are talking about an omnivorous diet, sans grains, raised on a pasture.) Everytime? In a perfect world, I would say yes, but in the end it comes down to personal priorities and working within your means. Since it is probably apparent that I put bacon pretty high on my priority list, I go for the good stuff probably 8 out of 10 times. In the end though, we just have to do the best we can with what we have to work with.
I know that food is not by any means the only thing necessary for a happy healthy lifestyle. It is, however, a crucial part of the foundation. (A foundation much easier to build, when it includes bacon!) The best advice I can give you is to first consider and prioritize your food choices. Make sure it comes from a source as close to nature as possible, and that you can make it at home in your kitchen, without chemistry equipment. The quality of food is important, so make sure you also appreciate and enjoy the foods you eat.

My soap box is over, but since there is no such thing as too much bacon, check out this hilarious video!

•Note:  The information on this blog is for informational use only and is not meant to diagnose or treat any medical conditions or to take the place of your physician. Always consult the appropriate health care professional when you have health problems that you feel might require professional attention, or when adding supplementations, while taking existing prescriptions. 

Referenced Resource:
Sanfillipo, Diane. Bacon: Health Food or Devil in Delicious Disguise? Posted May 24, 2011 to: www.balancedbites.com. Retrieved October 5, 2012.