Wednesday, September 22, 2010

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.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Five things you can do now to improve your nutrition

1. Remove diet soda and fake sugars like Aspartame. Why? It's fake, it sends a message to the brain that creates a craving for more sugar and studies have shown a link between diet sodas and weight gain. Who would have thought? So stick with good old water with fresh lemon. We're not made to drink all these fancy waters and no you don't need any special fortified drink - it's all about marketing. In fact did you know that the 8 a day water frenzy started after Coca Cola launched their bottled water campaign. Now tap water is nothing to sing about and I do recommend buying a water filter, but we really don't need any of these bottled beverages. For starters they are loaded with sugar which has numerous problems including lowering your immune system, being linked to diabetes, are not natural, empty calories, the list goes on. Some safer alternatives include Agave nectar which has a very low glycemic index and doesn't spike your blood sugar like table sugar and stevia which is from the leaf of a plant.

More information on Aspartame

2. Remove High Fructose Corn Syrup from your diet - This cheap ingredient is found in so many of your food items including ketchup, bread, tomato sauce, cookies, granola bars, salad dressings, marinades and cereals. This ingredient preserves foods and also creates a craving for more carbohydrates. If you'd like more information click the link below
High Fructose Corn Syrup

3. Reduce the amount of dairy in your diet. Consumption of dairy has been linked to certain cancers, increased mucous and sinus problems and many people have physical symptoms including bloating, diarrhea and rash when they consume it. I've read so many studies and books from thoughtleaders on nutrition and this one keeps coming up. You might ask why the USDA recommends dairy for strong bones, but the reality is we don't need dairy and we sure don't need it in the amount we are consuming it. The lowest incidences of osteoporosis is found in the countries that consume little or no dairy.

4. Limit processed foods and increase your consumption of raw and living foods. There is a food movement that focuses on eating only raw foods - meaning foods that have never been cooked and never heated above 110 degrees. The philosophy is based on the idea that once we cook our foods we lose all of the natural enzymes, phytonutrients and vitamins. One of the thoughtleaders on the raw food diet is David Wolfe who I had the pleasure to hear speak earlier this year. Following this diet helps to clean out the body, boost the immune system and in many cases has been used for patients who are experiencing disease.


5. Eat Less - decrease your portion sizes and overall calorie consumption. Our bodies do not require the amount of calories we are eating. This is a result of increased portion sizes over the last 30 years, hidden sugars, processed foods and eating habits that cause cravings for foods that are high in calories and high in sugar. When you bring your body into balance you are able to reduce your calorie amount without feeling deprived. We are all aware of the diseases that are related to these high calorie diets, but yet many of us are waiting until we are diagnosed with diabetes, heart disease of cancer. Some tips to decrease your portion sizes include using a salad plate for dinner, bulk up on greens which are very low in calorie, utilize a food journal so you can get a better picture of what you are eating and how you are feeling. Studies show that people who eat less and are at their ideal weight report more energy, live longer, are happier and are generally at much less risk for developing disease. As Pollen says we live in a culture of of cheap and abundant calories with no deeply rooted set of rules to curb overeating. We need to plan ahead, buy less and practice mindful eating. It takes time to change a habit, so start slowly. Pick one area in your life that will give you the greatest benefit and start there. When I work with my clients we set realistic goals that are achievable. Do the same for yourself. Do you a lot of processed foods - if so get rid of them and start clean. If you find yourself eating on the go a lot - plan ahead. Planning and organizing are the essential elements that can help you make the changes you want to make.

Friday, June 12, 2009

3 weeks post cleanse

It's been 3 week since I completed my cleanse. So how am I feeling?? GREAT! I've continued with many of the eating habits I created while cleansing. I can still say that I don't have any cravings for cakes and candies. Yes, I do crave sweets, but I am satisfied with healthy alternatives like fruit, teas with raw honey, dark chocolate and sweet vegetables. I added animal protein back in, but am eating about 1/2 the amount of animal protein that I was eating before. Some days I am eating 100% vegetarian and other days I'll have a small piece of fish, chicken, turkey or beef. I do still enjoy the taste of the meat, but have a new found understanding of my body and what it really requires on a day to day basis to feel good. I am still staying away from dairy products primarily because of their association with eczema and also because after much research I don't believe we are meant to be consuming dairy the way we do today. Everything in moderation - eventually I will add some dairy back into my diet, but most likely it will be an occasional treat.

My goals for the week are to drink more water since I've noticed myself slipping over the past few weeks and to start juicing again.

In health and happiness!
Jacqueline

Monday, May 25, 2009

Cleanse Days 8-12

I'm just back from a weekend away upstate New York. I really enjoy the mountains and can feel all stress leave my body once I get up there. We stayed right outside of Woodstock where I knew they had a fabulous organic juice bar and health food store. It was quite difficult staying on a cleanse and not having my own kitchen, but at least I was able to get juices every day. The first two days I primarily ate fruits, vegetables, salads, smoothies and fresh squeezed juices. On day two I was getting very hungry (without a good protein source again and the nuts weren't doing it) I wound up having a small amount of french fries at a fair because there was nothing else. I had been off of potatoes for the past week, but decided to add them in. I felt fine afterwards and felt as if were okay - I didn't have a hot dog or fair sausage roll. The following day I again was very hungry and finally found a restaurant that served quinoa - YEAH! When my vegetable plate arrived there was about one 1/2 cup of quinoa on the plate. I couldn't believe it, so I asked the waiter if I could order a side order and guess what, he told me no because they often run out of it through the evening. Okay I thought, I am being tested, but I stayed with it.

So my plan for the week is to juice everyday through Thursday and a liver flush tomorrow (Tuesday) I'll post the recipe too. I will be adding beans and fresh fish back in on day 14 (Thursday). I don't think I will go back to eating meat or dairy the way I did in the past. I feel too good to ever want to go back to my old ways. This has been an unbelievable experience for me and I can't wait to share it with my clients.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Cleanse Day 7

Day 7

This week went very quickly and I suprised that I'm not craving a slice of pizza or something sweet. Today I was able to add quinoa and millet back in to my meal plan, so I feel much more satisfied. My husband is actually considering doing a cleanse with me in the fall, but would like to start cleaning up his diet now. He wants me to make a meal plan for him at the office and on the road. I'll be posting about this too when he gets started.

Appetite - Normal - felt very satisfied.

Feelings - I have great energy today and great overall. I noticed that my skin is brighter and my clothes are fitting a bit better, so that made me feel good.

Symptoms - None

Cravings -None

Thought of the Day - If you don't take risks you'll never know what you might've missed. I have learned more about my body in this past week then I have in my whole life. I truly learned (although I've always known this) that cravings often come from inbalances in your diet or for emotional reasons. My diet has never been this pure, nor have I even been this satisfied on so little. Less is more.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Cleanse Day 6

Day 6

I can't believe it's day 6 already. Today I added a weight lifting class to the regimen. Although I've been taking a yoga class every morning, I realized that to eventually get the results that I want I need to add more cardio and strength training to my routine. I think my body is finally adjusting to getting up so early and I found that I had the extra energy today to push forward. As I picked up my dinner this evening a feeling of sadness came over me. I've really enjoyed picking up fresh, organic meals in my neighborhood - it takes the guess work out of eating. I'm already thinking of ways that I can continue this. Next week I'll be continuing the cleanse and introducing new recipes.

Appetite - I'm the hungriest I've been all week today - I think it's because I didn't have a source of protein (quinoa and nuts were excluded today). I ate some extra vegetables and fruit in the afternoon and was satisfied for the rest of the day until dinner.

Feelings - I still feel great, happy , positive and committed to doing this another week. I've realized that my body needs some sort of protein on a daily basis, but it doesn't necessarily have to come from animal protein.

Symptoms - A slight headache today - I must still be detoxing as it's definitely not a caffeine withdrawal headache.

Cravings - A piece of bread - the craving came and went very quickly. As I sit across from my husband sipping a glass of red wine - I'm really wanting a sip. This is the first time that I've really wanted wine - the chicken and sweet potatoes look amazing too. He's eating one of my favorite dinners. Although I thought pasta was a favorite, I didn't have a problem serving pasta the other night. An interesting observation.

Thought of the Day - It's all about balance. In all aspects of your life. If you are stressed you need to do something relaxing to balance your body. When it comes to food if you are eating well most of the time and splurging some of the time you help to keep the body well and healthy.