Guest Blogger Sara Hefty from Project Lux

You Have To Start Somewhere

Have you ever experienced an all or nothing attitude? You know, where you're going to be all out healthy or go completely in the other direction? Truth be told, I'm thinking we've all be there at one point in our lives or another.

And you know what?

It's not effective.

It's one of the reasons that 98% of diets FAIL. For every restriction there's an equal binge. And in today's vernacular, diet equals restriction. So, what to do?

Start somewhere. ANYWHERE. And begin with 100% intention to permanently change your relationship with nourishment and self-care. Make it a lifestyle change. A pleasurable, enjoyable, fun-filled adventure in lifestyle change.

The great thing about approaching healthy living in this way is that you get to let go of judgement and deprivation and get curious.

So, go all in on the intention to permanently change your relationship with nourishment. And then, take it step by step. Starting anywhere! I love to have my clients start at the easiest and most pleasurable place for themselves. Make it fun!

Looking for a few ideas to get you started?

Great!

How about on the physical side... rocking four 20-minute cardio sessions a week (walking outside, dancing to Pandora, biking, etc.), stretching for three minutes a day, strength training twice a week?

On the food side... how about mastering adding in one fruit and one veggie into your daily life? Figure out how to do this, what you're going to buy, when you're going to buy it, where you'll store it at home, which ones you'll bring to work with you. Master that and then up level to two fruits and veggies a day.

Consider your venture into being a healthier person a living promise to yourself to constantly move towards truer confidence, happiness and playfulness. Be 100% IN with permanently changing your relationship with nourishment and self-care for a trial period of time (a day, a week, a month). Live in a story where nourishment and self-care are the highest order of respect, total truth and integrity are demanded, and shaping your reality is your personal responsibility. And know that everyone is here to support your pursuit of confidence, happiness and playfulness.

The point is to start. Let yourself be the novice, the beginner. (Yes, you're absolutely extraordinary!) So be an absolutely extraordinary beginner, step into your coachable self, and pick a place to start and rock EVERY SINGLE STEP you take with the highest of integrity and truth.

It's one of the bravest and most powerful things you'll ever do.

xoxo,

Sara Hefty

PROJECT LUX

Stress Relief and Transformational Health Coaching Expert

Eating to Neutralize your Body pH

Yesterday I spent a few hours puttzing around planting my little summer garden.  I like to plant a variety of greens so I planted kale, spinach, collard greens and a little chard.  I also planted two rows each of beets and carrots.  Still haven’t planted the beans yet but the fence has been cleared and is ready to help those yummy green beans climb to new heights this summer! 

 

pH

Before I planted everything I tested the pH of my soil.  It was a very neutral 7.0.  You see, the pH (how acidic or alkaline) the soil is affects how well the plants absorb the nutrients in the soil.  If the soil is too acidic (lower number) or too alkaline (higher number) the plants just don’t do so well no matter the weather or what nutrients are in the soil.  pH is a measured on a scale that runs from 1-14 and many plants need a neutral (pH 7) or just slightly alkaline pH to grow properly.  The Eau Claire area where I live tends to have acidic soil and if my soil had tested out to have a lower pH I would have needed to apply lime to help raise the pH and thus increase the alkalinity of the soil.  This process is effective but does take several weeks to make a noticeable change in the soil pH.

 

Our Human Bodies

Much like a plant our bodies absorb nutrients best if we are in the proper pH.  This typically means neutral to slightly alkaline.  The problem?  Most people in the US are ACIDIC.  The reason for this is basically what we put into our bodies (our soil if you will).  Everything we put in our bodies serves to either acidify or alkalize our body pH.  As a general rule of thumb plant foods are alkalizing and animal foods are acidifying.  Grains also usually acidy so for simplicities sake when I say plant foods I mean mostly fruits, veggies and raw nuts.  Some foods which are acidic in nature form alkaline by products.  Two perfect examples are lemons and raw apple cider vinegar.  When we can’t absorb nutrients properly how do you think this affects our health?  Right, it makes it worse.  This is part of the reason why exercise and other healthy lifestyle changes we make don’t always have the impact on our lives we had hoped for.  First we have to normalize our chemistry.  The way we do that is with our food choices.

 

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Oh Yes, Flax Seeds. What’s So Good about Them Again?

Anyone who has been to one of my cooking classes (What?! You haven’t been to one yet?) knows that I hold organic golden flax seed in high regard.  You see, flax is one of nature’s best creations to both nourish and heal the human body. 

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Flax seeds are an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids which are extremely important for reducing systemic inflammation and for the proper development of the brain and nervous system.  If the term omega 3 fatty acids sound familiar that’s because the commonly recommended nutritional supplement fish oil is also a source.  Flax seed omega 3 fatty acids are easily digested and use by the body.  Be sure to grind them right before using them in a smoothie adding to yogurt or doing whatever else you are doing with them because otherwise you will not be able to access the nutrients in the seed. 

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Lignans

This is a powerful phytonutrient found in flax.  It is highly responsible for flaxes ability to modulate estrogen and has been shown to reduce cancer in women (see link below).  Flax seed is the most potent dietary source of lignans which are easily accessible for digestion once the seeds around ground.  Golden flax seeds tend to have higher levels of lignans than brown flax, which is why I always recommend going with golden flax.

 

To read more about flax being used as a cancer intervention:

 

http://www.naturalnews.com/040161_flaxseed_breast_cancer_superfoods.html

 

About This Blog

Hello everyone who reads this blog or to those of you just checking in.  Thanks for reading and for leaving me suggestions and/or comments either here on the blog or at the email  cookingchiropractor@gmail.com. I love getting feedback and try to keep up with any questions or other inquires. I have had several people ask if there are more recipes to be had.  The short answer is YES!! There are plenty of recipes floating around.  I do post on other subjects to try and give people an inside eye on what is going on in health as well as nutrition with this blog as well as post recipes.  If you want to get more recipes please use the tab on the side bar to sign up for the e-updates.  I send out a new recipe about every 5-9 days and there are updates as to the whens and where's of the cooking classes where you can sample these tasty dishes :)  At the typical cooking class you will come away with at least 2 new recipes.  Anyways, the low down is

E-Updates = More recipes

Just 1 Freakin' Can of Soda Can Up Your Risk of Getting Diabets 22%!!!!!!

It's no secret soda is BAD for you. The past 2 months alone I have seen articles on people losing all their teeth after several years of soda chugging, an article about all the nasty artificial stuff in a can of the sweet stuff and information on how pop makes you fat. 

Its also common knowledge that you can use soda to clean rust off your car battery connections.  Gee, I can't wait for that can of Coke now that I know it can eat through oxidized metal better than some commercial products can.  That has to be good for my body right?

Well, to add about the billionth cherry on top of the "Don't Drink Pop" sundae  a new study done in Europe which consisted of over 350,000 participants now suggest that 1 can of pop a day can increase the odds you will get diabetes by a whopping, and I mean WHOPPING 22%!!  That's one can people. Think about the effects of 2 cans, 3 cans, 12 cans... pretty scary. 

Why Soda?

The answer has to do with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).  It is a sweetener that contains some compounds that are rapidly converted to fat in the liver which increases overall inflammation in the body.  HFCS also spikes your blood sugar to high heaven resulting in a decrease in the bodies ability to process sugar in the long run which leads to diabetes.  Having a can of soda is a lot like sneaking up on someone and sucker punching them in the head, only in this case you are sucker punching both your liver and pancreas (which produces insulin).  We know its bad. Its not secret and its destroying your health.  Don' sucker punch your liver, and don't sucker punch your pancreas! 

Chicken Salad Stir-Fry

Chicken Stir-fry Salad

1lb of chicken tenders or breast meat, cubed

2 tablespoons raw organic coconut oil

1 medium carrot, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup broccoli florets

3-4 medium sized shitake mushrooms, chopped

4 cups mixed greens

1 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

 

In a medium pan heat coconut oil to medium heat and add carrot, cook for 4 minutes.  Add chicken and cook until no longer pink add remaining ingredients and cook, stirring frequently for 7 minutes.  Remove from heat. Check to make sure chicken is done by cutting open a piece.  Chicken is done when no pink remains. 

 

In a medium bowl combine greens, apple cider vinegar and olive oil and toss to coat. Then put salad mixture into individual bowls and top with chicken and veggie mixture.  Sea salt can be added if desired.

 

An Enlightening Conversation

I stumbled upon this article today when searching for information about the effects of high heat cooking on proteins in food.  While it does not answer that particular question the discussion between Dr. Mercola and Dr. Cousens is remarkable because they have a sincere dialogue on health and where people should get their nutrients.  To me the best thing to come of this is the idea that there is no one perfect diet for everyone!  We are all obligated to seek out the diet that works best for us.  The key to health is to listen to the body and to try via experimentation to find out what works best for you.  One of my goals as the Cooking Chiropractor is to introduce people to new foods and methods of preparing them.  I talk about mixing cooked foods and raw foods, quality of foods and the importance of exercise and a healthy lifestyle.  This article does a great job of crystalizing that line of thinking. Great article from two very smart and sincere healers.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/04/16/merits-and-flaws-of-a-wholly-vegetarian-or-vegan-diet.aspx