Inspiration

This past weekend I had the privilege to hear some amazing and inspiring speakers at the Institute For Integrative Nutrition Conference. The message among all of the speakers was we need to go back to the basics and eat more whole foods, fruits, vegetables, organic grass fed meats and whole grains and limit processed foods. Wonderful I thought - that's what my family does now. Or does it??

I spent this summer with my two beautiful boys and husband on vacation for a month (bread and cheese in France, etc.) and down at the beach club for the remainder of the the time. No alarm clocks, lunchboxes to be packed, homework or schedules. We relaxed and had fun. What I didn't realize over this time was how quickly processed foods crept into our diets, with whole fresh living foods being crowded out. We were eating more foods from concession stands, restaurants and I wasn't cooking as much.

I looked around my own kitchen and couldn't believe how many boxed items I have here. What happened to the real grains, beans, fresh fruits and vegetables? My husband asked "Don't you always cook healthy meals?" Do we really eat a lot of processed foods? When I went through the list : bread, pasta, pretzels, bagels, waffles, cold cereals, chips, cookies, ice cream. Yup - pretty much at every meal and no nutritional value. It's not that these foods should never be included in your diet, it's that they should be a small part. They don't provide any source of phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals or fiber that are found in fresh fruit and vegetables.

As a nutritionist I strive to keep the balance within my own family, but now realize how quickly processed foods became a staple in our home. I don't want my children to feel deprived, but where do you draw the line. No honey we don't drink soda in our home - followed by begging, whining and crying. Don't give in I tell myself and I almost crack, but we make it through dinner with water and the kids are happy. I was a happy to receive a note from the director of my sons school asking parents to send in water instead of juice and noting that juice is filled with sugar, empty calories and tends to fill the kids up.

The good news is that in one day we were eating a lot of processed foods and the next day with a conscious effort it was more fruits and vegetables, and less processed foods. I taught the kids what a processed food was (my next post will talk about this) and said we need to eat more from the whole food category. When I got them involved in the process they were more open to trying new foods and eating the vegetables that were on their plate. Last night it was broccoli, string beans and asparagus - they tried them all.

School Lunches

Have you ever sat down and thought about the food that your school age children are eating?? Are they buying lunch at school and if so what foods are they choosing? I encourage parents to talk to their children about the food choices they are making. Many of the foods that our school aged children are eating today are highly processed, high in sugar and have minimal nutritional value.

Feeding our children doesn't have to be complicated. By planning ahead and being organized about meal planning you can easily create balanced and healthy meals most of the time and send your children to school with healthy lunches and snacks. A simple way to get organized is to plan your weekly meals out on Sunday and make sure you have all that you need on hand. By preparing one or two healthy soups or meals on Sunday you already have a great place to start. I love the ec0- friendly lunch boxes found at Laptop Lunches. These are great to pack fresh fruit, yogurt, hummus, cut up vegetables and a sandwich. A thermos is a great from some hot food, soup or even a frozen smoothie for snack.

At home try choosing fresh, organic and local food when available. Keep processed foods to a minimum and involve your children in the menu planning, shopping and cooking. What I've found in my own home is by being organized you can more easily stick with what is important.

I hope to be a resource to other parents, to educate and to be a part of the change that is already starting in this country. Two great pioneers who are passionate about changing our school lunch program are Alice Waters and Jaime Oliver.

Here is a great video that talks about the farm to school program that helps to improve our school lunch program and educate our children about nutrition.

VIDEO: Change Your Child’s School Food | Healthy Child Healthy World

My favorites

5 Ways to Reduce your toxic burden and risk of cancer.

The chances that you are like me and know at least one person who has been affected by cancer are probably very high. For me I've had family members battle lung, breast, stomach and bladder cancer. The one thing that continues to show up in the research is the impact of environmental factors have on our overall health.

The risk of developing some type of cancer in your lifetime might be higher than you thought. For men the risk is 1 in 2 and for women it is 1 in 3. Although these numbers can be frightening there are a lot of things you can do to decrease your risk and help improve your odds.

Some of the things that we do have control over in our life are the things we choose to put in our body. This includes food, cigarettes, and alcohol. We also can choose what products we use in our home and on our body, the water we drink, the thoughts we think and the ways in which we move our bodies.

When we treat our body with love and kindness the choices we make are more in line with optimal health. Here are some ways to reduce your toxic burden and reduce your risk of cancer.


1. Choose organic foods that are free of potential cancer causing pesticides. The fruits and vegetables that contain the highest amounts of pesticides and are known as the dirty dozen are:

Celery, Peaches, Strawberries, Apples, Blueberries, Nectarines, Bell Peppers, Spinach, Cherries, Kale/Collard Greens, Potatoes, Imported Grapes - Adapted from the Environmental Working Group

Organic produce is grown without harmful man-made pesticides and herbicides. Visit a farmers market for locally grown organic fruits and vegetables. Choose hormone-free beef or dairy to eliminate those traces of hormones that can enter our bodies and contribute to an increased risk of breast cancer.

2. Limit your exposure to chemicals in your household products. Avoid: Phthalates, Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and perfluorooctanoic acid (found in non-stick cookware)
Use simple, nontoxic cleaning products. Seek out nontoxic cleaning products or make your
own. A little baking soda and vinegar go a long way toward everyday household cleaning and
even larger jobs.

3. Limit your exposure to BPA - Bisphenol A
When possible it is best to avoid #7 plastics, especially for children's food. Plastics with the recycling labels #1, #2 and #4 on the bottom are safer choices and do not contain BPA. Avoid canned foods - The lining in canned food can leach chemicals like BPA. Look for foods packaged in glass, Tetra Paks (box packaging commonly used for soy milks, juice boxes and some soups) and other alternatives to BPA- lined cans.

4. Get a water filter for drinking water
Choose a water filter that can remove hormones, endocrine-disrupting compounds, and
pesticides, and replace the filter as directed.

5. Choose to think happy and positive thoughts - Start you day with a simple affirmation like "I choose to eat healthy foods that nourish and heal my body" or "Today I choose to see the positive in all situations" or "I choose to be kind to all that I meet today"

Cancer Prevention - In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Change your diet and reduce your risk of breast cancer and many other cancers...... It is estimated that diet contributes to approximately 35-50% of all cancers today and research continues to show that eating a plant based diet high in vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains helps to lower your risk of cancer and also reduces your risk for diabetes and heart disease. For more information on how a vegetarian diet can help reduce your risk of cancer check out www.pcrm.org.

Although a vegetarian and plant based diet might not be for everyone, I do recommend trying to cut back on animal protein and including more vegetarian meals in your diet. This will help you to increase your intake of cancer fighting phytochemicals found in fruits and vegetables, increase your fiber intake and lower your fat intake. All of these things also help to aid in weight loss, so you get an extra benefit. Try and choose foods that are closest to their natural state and are not processed.

Fiber also plays an important role in reducing your cancer risk. Some experts recommend getting 30-40 grams of fiber per day to help prevent cancer. Good sources of fiber include whole grains, beans, peas, lentils, vegetables and fruits.

Here are some tips to help you get started and increase your intake of vegetables, fruits, and fiber.

1. Set your intention - before you get out of bed in the morning think about how you are going to honor your body that day and feed it foods that heal and energize it.
2. Have a green smoothie for breakfast and add a handful of leafy greens like spinach or kale. This is a great way for kids to get their fruit and veggies in too.
3. Make 1/2 of your plate a colorful palette of vegetables and then add some whole grains and beans to complete your meal.
4. Switch out animal protein for a plant based source of protein like beans or tofu. Instead of grilled chicken on your salad add a some chic peas or mixed beans.
5. Choose vegetable and beans soups for lunch or dinner. They are a great source of fiber and an excellent way to get your veggies in and create a meatless meal.
6. Choose whole grains like quinoa, oatmeal, brown rice, millet and whole wheat / whole grain bread or pasta (switch out white products that are processed and contain very little if any fiber).

** Check out this recipe from one of my favorite sites called "Meatless Monday." Meatless Mondays are also supported by the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Lentil Winter Warmer

Lentils, carrots and celery are seasoned with cumin and then simmered until tender

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup of brown lentil, rinsed and picked over
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 4 cups of low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup additional low-sodium vegetable broth
• or 1/4 cup of cream

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped celery, carrots and onion. Sauté for 3 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften.

Add lentils to the pot and stir to combine. Season the lentil veggie mixture with cumin and cook for 2 minutes, or until the cumin becomes fragrant.

Add 4 cups of the vegetable broth and bring to a boil.

Turn heat down to low and let cook for 25-30 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Do not stir for the last 15 minutes of cooking time so the vegetables are able to float to the top.

After 30 minutes, scoop off the vegetables off the top of the soup with a slotted spoon. Puree in a food processor with the additional ¼ cup vegetable stock or cream.

Add pureed veggies back to the pot and stir to combine. Cook 5 minutes more and enjoy!

Green Smoothie

Kale Pear Smoothie (makes 4 cups)

1 c green grapes
1 orange peeled
1/2 Bartlett pear
1 frozen or fresh banana
1 cup kale (or spinach)
1/2 cup water
2 cups ice
*add all ingredients to blender and blend for 2 min.

Roasted vegetables

Jacqueline's vegetable roast:

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 small beets peeled and diced 1/2 inch cubes
1 large parsnip cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 pound of asparagus cut into 1 inch pieces
6 cloves of garlic - cut into two
1 onion cut into thick slices

Cut all vegetables and transfer to a bowl, add olive oil, sea salt and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 400 for 50-60 minutes. Enjoy on their own, over salad or as a side. Simply delicious!
You can also add a splash of apple cider vinegar, and some fresh herbs if you like. Add some carrots too.