“Change. It’s the most popular topic on the Internet this week. Some folks love resolutions; some rally against them. Some may call them intentions, rituals, goals or promises.” ~Kris Carr, author of Crazy Sexy Cancer.

 

This week I compiled a list of e-book Healthy Discoveries to help you create healthy habits and achieve great things via your 2012 resolutions. Regardless of which part of your life you resolve to change, these resources can help you get clear about what you want and why. They’ll teach you how to follow-through and maintain your focus throughout the whole year.

 

1. Unraveling The Year Ahead – Susannah Conway hosts a popular photography e-course which takes people through The Unraveling Process- using a camera as a tool to unlock how we see not only ourselves but also the world we live in. We do this in the simplest way: we stop and look. Beginning with your feet, you’re going to go on a photo safari into your own life to reconnect with who you are, where you’ve been and where you want to go next.

Susannah also created this FREE download for you to write about and reflect on the past year while focusing on a fulfilling New Year.

 

 

 

2. How To Live Your Best Life- Marelisa and I frequently chat on Twitter. She has a fantastic blog, she writes great eBooks, and she’s a true Healthy Discovery. You can download, How To Live Your Best Life, and all the wonderful bonuses Marelisa provides for only $17.95  Click here to view more details

 

 

 

 

3. The Right Brain Business Plan - Are you an artist, health and wellness professional, educator, coach, designer, writer, photographer, non-profit leader or all-around creative soul wanting to make a positive impact with your entrepreneurial endeavors? Do you dream of making a living doing what you love but find the process of creating a viable business plan like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole? Jennifer Lee knows what it’s like to make the entrepreneurial leap — and how to do it successfully. The key is using, rather than stifling, imagination and intuition. Lee’s illustrated, colorful worksheets and step-by-step instructions are playful yet practical, transforming drudgery into joy. They’ll enable you to define your vision and nail down plans for funding, marketing, networking, and long-term strategy.

Click this picture for more information.

 

 

4.  Sustainable Creativity - Learn to use whatever energy you have available, however limited it may be, to maintain a creative life (or livelihood). Maybe you’re someone, like the author, who has a chronic illness which means the energy available for creative endeavors is severely curtailed.

Or maybe your days are so full of the busyness of life that you have very little time or energy left over to pursue your creative ambitions. Either way, Sustainable Creativity could be for you.

• Keep things simple
• The 20-minute a day challenge
• The three-thing (or even one-thing) to-do list
• Recognizing and celebrating your achievements
• Being kind
• Enjoy the journey (or try to anyway)
• Practical ways of working with your energy bank
• The magic of saying “no”

The suggested price is $15.00 but you’re welcome to pay as much or as little as you can afford. Click here to visit Sustainably Creative.

 

 

 

5.  The Spark Kit- A digital book-meets-video seminar to help you rock your business… your way, right away. You: are likely sitting on an empire of content, product, services, and prosperity that needs a spark — or blow torch — to take it to the next level. You: want to rock your revenue and do meaningful things in the world. You: want to do it as soon as possible.

 

Click this picture to order your Spark Kit today.

 

 

 

6. Secrets of Lasting Weight Loss Revealed – I’m a fan of Kat Eden’s blog because she trained with Charles Poliquin. Poliquin is the creme de la creme when it comes to nutrition, fitness, supplementation, and fat loss. Kat Eden takes the knowledge gained from Poliquin and wrote her own eBook. If you want a legit, top-notch nutrition and weight loss plan for 2012 I highly recommend, Secrets of Lasting Weight Loss Revealed for $37.00 - Click here to visit Play Life Health and Performance Coach and purchase:

 

 

 

7.  I Quit Sugar- Are you ready to take the plunge and remove sugar from your diet? You will look and feel 100% better, plus you’ll have that much more energy to accomplish great things this year!

• An 8-week program that walks you through each crucial stage, week by week
• How + why sugar is making us fat + sick
• A sugar replacement plan: tested + nutritionally sound
• “Sweet” sugar-free recipes
• New treat ideas
• A detox + a suggested supplements list
• A downloadable shopping list of new ingredients to replace sugar in your life

Click here to view more details

As the calendar flips from one year to the next, you may perceive your experiences from the past year as fair or unfair, burdens or gifts, triumphs or struggles. Either way, I love this quote by Ali Smith, “In the end, everything simply began.”

Happy New Year!

 
 
 
 
 
 

So, have you jumped onto the Pinterest bandwagon yet? I first wrote about it here and I have pinned over 1,152 pins since then. I love Pinterest.

In case you’re not familiar with Pinterest, (Pin Your Interest), it is an endless source of on-line inspiration and creativity. You will find images, quotes and ideas that will inspire you to cook, take pictures, create DIY home projects and crafts, decorate, travel, stay healthy, spark humor and wisdom in your life and much, much more. Here are some of my recent Discoveries via Pinterest for this holiday season.

 

Food Ideas For Your Holiday Party

 

Chicken strips wrapped in bacon and lightly brushed with a honey mustard marinade.

Grilled zucchini rolls with herbed goat cheese & kalamata olives.

Goat cheese with cranberries and pistachios.

Tomato, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, balsamic vinegar and a tooth pick. Fun and Simple!

Little cherry pies in muffin tins. Cute, small portion sizes!

Tealight candles placed inside apples to illuminate your house.

 

Cleaning And Storing Food For Your Holiday Party

Mattress cleaning for your overnight house guests. Pour about 1 cup of baking soda into a mason jar and drop in 4 drops of lavender essential oil. Put on the lid and shake up the jar. Using a kitchen strainer sprinkle the baking soda mixture all over the mattress and let it sit for an hour or more. Using the hose end of your vacuum and an upholstery attachment, thoroughly vacuum the mattress. Bye, bye dust mites and other nasty things. The baking soda helps draw up any moisture and deep dirtiness. It deodorizes and leaves the mattress smelling fresh and clean. There is a faint scent of lavender left by the essential oil.

The “miracle” of baking soda and peroxide. Put 1/4 cup of baking soda in a bowl…..add enough peroxide to make a paste. Rub on with fingers or sponge. Cleans EVERYTHING! Stove, oven, pans, stainless steel appliances, even the white handles of the refrigerator door.

Heat a bowl of water and vinegar for 5 minutes in the microwave, the steam will dissolve stuck on stains. Simply wipe off. Genius!

Scoop ice cream into baking cups before the party and put in the freezer. When cake is served bring out the pre-made scoops. (Great idea instead of all the time consuming scooping in the middle of a party!) And helps reduce portion size.

Store lettuce in glass jars in the refrigerator. Keeps it fresh longer.

Large lemon/lime ice cubes. Perfect for a holiday punch.

 

 

Make The Holiday Party Fun For Kids Too!

 

Gratitude does not have to be limited to Thanksgiving: Each person writes down something they are grateful for before the holiday party. Type them up and roll into the dinner rolls. It is fun to find them all – even more fun to guess who they belonged to. This tradition will be a keeper!

A fun holiday lunch for the kids, without the bread. Apples, raisins, nut butter.

Healthy snacks and hors d’oeuvres for the kids served in muffin tins.

So simple but clever – S’mores Pops. Marshmallows on a stick, dipped in melted chocolate and rolled in crushed graham crackers (I would use gluten-free graham crackers, of course!)

Reindeer sugar cookies. I know sugar isn’t healthy, but realistically we all eat it at some point so why not make it fun and pretty.

Use rubber stamps for different and unique sugar cookie designs.

Chore Magnets – love this idea – each child can pick their chores, with a dollar value incentive to help mom and dad get ready for the party. Genius!

Do you have a house full of restless and bored kids this holiday season? Have them try this!

A Calm Down Jar. Shake the jar and the child has to watch the jar until the glitter settles. This can come in handy during the long winter school break when cabin fever sets in.

And finally, here is a Relaxing Bath Recipe for after the party, holiday.

2 Cups Epsom Salts

2 Cups Baking Soda

2 Cups Sea Salt

5 Tbsp Ground Ginger

1 Cup Vinegar

Combine dry ingredients, storing in a closed container. At bath time add 1 cup off dry ingredient mix and 1 cup vinegar to hot running water. Optional: add several drops of your favorite essential oil. Enjoy!

Benefits:

* Epsom Salts draw toxins from the body relieving aches and pains.

* Baking Soda balances an over acidic system, refreshing, energizing and softening the skin.

* Sea Salt soothes and heals.

* Ground Ginger increases circulation.

* Vinegar soothes and softens skin

 

If you don’t know anyone who is currently on Pinterest and you’d like to join, email me (jolene@healthydiscoveries.com) and I’ll send you an invite.

 

 

Just like clockwork as soon as the calendar flipped over to September the Colorado air started to smell like fall. The mornings are cooler, crisper and one day the high temperature only made it to the mid-60’s.

The seasons are changing.

Personally I’d be happy with summertime year round. I know, that’s blasphemy coming from a Colorado native. Pretty much everyone who lives in Colorado takes pride and boasts about how lucky they are to live in a place where they experience all four-seasons. What can I say, I’m just a warm weather kind of girl!

Anyway, I digress.

As I was researching and working on another project, I pulled Sara Avant Stover’s book out of my home library.

Her chapter on Autumn made me pause.

I was already in the beautiful Colorado mountain town, Crested Butte, by myself when I was re-reading Sara’s book. My intention was to take some time and down-shift a bit as I re-focused my energy. A solitary working retreat, if you will.

But I found Sara’s recommendations so poignant that I want to share them with you now.

According to Sara, “Autumn is a time to gather, store, organize, and wind down from summer’s high tempo and the relentless forward momentum that modern living usually demands.”

Traditional Chinese Medicine suggests that autumn is the season to acknowledge the grief and sadness we’ve accumulated but have yet to release. It’s a time to reflect and nurture ourselves.

Here are some of Sara’s recommendations for Self-Care During The Autumn Season:

1.  Allow yourself more time to rest since your circadian rhythm is shifting. This could mean going to bed a little earlier (drink some chamomile tea before bed) waking up a little later, or even taking a catnap in the afternoon.

2.  Indulge in quiet walks through nature if possible.

3.  Let yourself cry when you need to.

4.  Turn to the healing power of prayer and ask for guidance, support, and protection during transition.

5.  Infuse your home or bath with essential oils of sandalwood, neroli or geranium.

6.  Light candles or a fire inside. Or even better, sit at a bonfire outside with friends -release whatever you need to let go of into the flames.

7.  Drink warm water with fresh lemon first thing in the morning.

8.  Make yourself a cup of hot almond milk with nutmeg and drink before bed.

9.  Let go of relationships, thoughts, situations and beliefs that are holding you back. She recommends writing a letter to someone or something you’re ready to let go of. Record the things you learned, the unsavory pieces as well as the blessings that you will carry with you as you move forward. This letter is for your eyes only so don’t hold back, write it all down. When complete, burn (release) the letter.

10. Build stability in your body and clarity in your mind through a flow yoga practice.

11.  Massage warm sesame oil into your head (hair if you’re washing it) around your ears and face. Then work downward to your feet, paying extra attention to your belly (use circular motion there) and the soles of your feet. Use long strokes on your limbs and circles on your joints. Sit on the edge of your tub, or lie down on a towel on the floor. Relax and breathe deeply for ten minutes while the oil sinks in. Take a hot shower or bath, washing the oil off with a gentle soap. This is an Ayurvedic practice that helps to ground, warm and calm you during an otherwise cold and dry season. It draws toxins out of the tissues and into the blood stream for elimination.

12.  Choose heavier, denser, cooked foods to ground and insulate you during the cold weather. The dominant color of this season is white. Add daikon (Chinese radish), quinoa, millet, bananas, apples, garlic, ginger, oats, pears, parsnips, turnips, cauliflower, okra, and onions to your diet whenever possible.

13.  Make the nightly ritual of writing down all the things that you are grateful for from that day. If you sleep with a partner, share your lists with each other.

14.  Create an “absolute yes list”. For example, sleep at least eight hours a night, take a candle light bath a few times a week, go for walks outside even it’s just for 10 minutes a day, spend your mornings in silence, eat simple wholesome foods, meet up with friends a couple times a week, totally unplug one day a week.

 

After a health scare in her early twenties, Sara Avant Stover moved to Thailand where she embarked on an extensive healing and spiritual odyssey throughout Asia and served as one of the pioneer Western yoga teachers in that part of the world. She now lives in Boulder, CO and continues to teach around the world.

 

 

To all my faithful readers:  Are you part of a group, organization or company that is looking for someone to facilitate and present health and wellness classes, keynotes and, or offer healthy tips via video for employees? I’ve been teaching corporate workshops for the past 7-years and I customize for specific needs of each company. Contact me for more info jolene@healthydiscoveries.com.  Here’s a demo video that I put together this summer:

 

Have a great weekend!

After I finished my 30-Day Paleo Challenge I wasn’t necessarily thinking that I’d take on another 30-Day Challenge, but that’s exactly what happened.

At the end of July I went to Wanderlust Yoga Festival in Squaw Valley, CA and met up with my friend Amy.

 

And some of her Northern California yoga friends.

 

It was a fun weekend — we did a lot of yoga, ate yummy food, drank some wine, saw a good movie premiere, went to the Michael Franti concert, talked and sat in the sunshine.

After Wanderlust I traveled onto Southern California for BlogHer and a friend’s wedding. On my last day in California I took a yoga class at YogaWorks in Laguna Beach.

The day I returned to Denver I took another yoga class at my *favorite studio. After a couple more yoga classes that week I realized that I just finished five straight days of yoga (beginning in Laguna Beach). Well, I thought, I might as well do 25 more days and make it my next 30-Day Challenge.

And that’s how my personal 30-Day Yoga Challenge began.

 

This is me on Monday (Labor Day) in Denver, Day 30 of my challenge.

I DID IT!  30 straight days of yoga. It felt great. Although there were a couple days I was tired, or didn’t always feel up to it, I showed up and took a yoga class anyway.

Here’s the breakdown of the different styles of yoga I did during the last 30 days:

Vinyasa Flow Yoga – 20 classes

Hot Yoga - 3 classes

Nidra (Meditation) Yoga – 2 classes

Anusara Yoga – 1 class

Yoga Blend – Yoga Works (Laguna) – 1 class

Core Power outside at Yoga Rocks The Park – 1 class

Restorative Yoga – 1 class

Forrest Yoga – 1 class

____________________________________

Total = 30 yoga classes from Aug 7 – Sept 5

 

I kind of stumbled across the 30-Day Health Challenge idea this summer and now I’m hooked. I’m ready to take on another challenge. I’m thinking a meditation or a volunteer challenge will be next.

For now I want to take in and really absorb what I just accomplished. I tend to rush my way through life and its experiences (good and bad). It feels good to pause and let the accumulation of the last two challenges sink in before I start my next challenge. I’ve settled into a comfortable, easy eating routine after my Paleo Challenge (down another 5 pounds) and after a couple days rest I can’t wait to get back to yoga and pilates. For me both challenges were like hitting a major re-set button and it’s been incredibly easy to stick with things. I love the routines I established as a result of both challenges.

So what about you?  Have you ever done a personal challenge?  Are you interested in creating one for yourself?  Either way, hopefully this will inspire you to start your own 30-Day Challenge!

 

Why 30 Days? – Psychologists agree that it takes 30 days to get into the groove of a new habit. If you are ready to end a bad cycle, pattern, habit, or get out of a rut, 30 days of consistent action will catapult you into a fresh, new beginning. It is just long enough to reap the benefits, yet it is short enough that you don’t lose your focus and motivation. Intense focus coupled with a measurable timeline creates better follow-through and anchors in habits for long term success. On the other hand, ambiguously thinking; “I want to eat better and exercise more” is non-focused, un-motivating and rarely produces any results. Just think about the people who walk around saying those exact words and nothing ever changes. A 30-Day Challenge however, can create big changes!

You’re Stronger Than You Think – I think a 30-Day Challenge is a great antidote to feeling sorry for yourself, or any general life funk you might be in currently. You’ll be surprised how quickly your attitude and inner strength builds when you take daily consistent action. Not to mention the fact that when you change one area of your life for the better a ripple effect happens in all areas of your life. Things are very interconnected.

Stagnation or Transformation – Resistance can show up in our lives at various times and when it does we have two choices. 1.) Stagnation or 2.) Transformation. After doing two 30-Day Challenges in the last 90 days I can almost guarantee that sometime during your 30 day challenge “something” will happen. You’ll have a bad day, you’ll get bored, you’ll get frustrated, you’ll get really busy, you’ll feel tired, you’ll think of everything you could do if you weren’t doing this. But what will you ultimately choose?  Will you become stagnate and quit?  Or will you transform and continue? Just remember, the harder it is in the middle the bigger the transformation is at the end. You can do this!

Be Kind To Yourself- A 30-Day Challenge doesn’t necessarily mean physical exertion, i.e. an exercise challenge.  In fact your “challenge” may be creating silence and resting every day with no distractions for 30-60 minutes. Period. No discussion, no explanation, no negotiating (with yourself or loved one’s). Taking care of your health begins with drawing a line in the sand and saying “enough is enough, I’m ready to do things differently and more healthfully” But use common sense and wisdom when selecting your “challenge.” If you are physically exhausted and depleted I would not recommend trying to exercise for 30-days straight. If you obsess about calories every minute of the day perhaps a nutrition challenge isn’t the best choice right now; instead how about volunteering and helping someone else for the next 30 days. If you give your energy to others all day long, whether at home or at work try a relaxation or leisure challenge for 30 days. Choose the thing that will push (challenge) you out of your normal comfort zone, yet it will still nourish, feed and fortify you. The point is self care, not self abuse.

How You Do One Thing Is How You Do Most Things – When things get hard or uncomfortable do you:  Make excuses, create drama, quit, get angry, get sick, blame others, expect others to “carry you”?  Do you talk excessively about the situation to anyone and everyone but ultimately never change?  Notice how you react and answer these questions. These are the reasons why a 30-Day Challenge is useful.

You see, It’s not about doing yoga per say, although if you want to do a yoga challenge I highly recommend it. The point of any 30-Day Challenge is to confront and change habits, patterns and behaviors that hold you back and make you unhealthy. The actual challenge you choose becomes a backdrop to the life affirming benefits and “ah-ha” moments you receive when you show up and take care of yourself day after day for 30 days. These benefits can be much more rewarding than touching your toes or losing a couple pounds.

So what are you going to do?  Are you ready to create your own 30-Day Challenge?

While diet and exercise are typical places to start you don’t have to begin there.  Here are some ideas to get you thinking, but there are hundreds of choices. Don’t feel like you have to use any of my suggestions. Pick something that resonates with you and is doable in your lifestyle for the next 30 days.

 

Nutrition – No sugar or drink 80 oz of water every day for 30 days.

Exercise – Walk 2 miles every day (that would be 60 miles by the end of 30 days, Wow!)

Relaxation – Meditate every day for 20 minutes, or go to bed at the same time every night (early) so you get 8-hours of sleep every night for the next 30 days.

Leisure – Set aside 60-minutes every day to do the hobby that you love, but never “have time.” i.e. painting, photography, etc.

Money – Save $20 every day.  At the end of the 30 days you’ll have $600, at the end of one year you’ll have $7200. That’s a nice little rainy day fund.

Spirit – Keep a gratitude list, every day write down: What inspired you today?  What touched your heart today?  What surprised you today?

Volunteer and Relationships – 29 Gifts, How A Month of Giving Can Change Your Life (offer up one Random Act Of Kindness to another person) add one more day and make it 30 days.

Emotions – Write in a journal every day. Research shows that journal writing can be very healing and therapeutic to our emotional health.

Career – Turn off the computer, phone, TV at 7PM and take a digital, electronic sabbatical for 30 days.

 

As I was lying on my yoga mat, waiting for class to begin on Day 28, this song played on my teacher’s iPod. I thought it summarized very nicely how I felt after this 30-Day Challenge, and I think it’s a nice way to end this post as well.

 

So go on, create your own 30-Day Challenge. You can do it, I know you can!

 

* I want to give a big shout out to Kindness Yoga in Denver.  I did 95% percent of my yoga there and all the teachers are fantastic; Patrick, Cameron, and Tina are three of my favorites.  If you live in or around Denver or you’re visiting sometime soon, check ‘em out, they are a wonderful Healthy Discovery.

 

Three Healthy Discoveries have recently crossed my path and I want to share them with you.

 

1. Wheat Belly:  Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health

In full disclosure I have not read this book, yet.  But I have heard all the buzz regarding its August 30, 2011 release. I did listen to an interview with the author, William Davis, M.D. who is a cardiologist. It’s a fascinating interview and you can listen to it here.  Dr. Davis has treated over 2,000 patients in his medical career and he attributes gluten to many of our modern day diseases and health issues.  For example he believes:

• Gluten is the single largest contributor to our nationwide obesity epidemic.
• There is a strong connection between eating gluten and behavior in schizophrenics (and I would suggest other mood disorders as well.)
• The glycemic index of wheat and how it negatively affects blood sugar.
• Wheat has changed over the years and its modifications have affected our ability to digest gluten.

I’m looking forward to reading this book.  I think most people would look and feel much better and their health would improve significantly if they took gluten out of their diets.  The science is strong and gluten-free is not some “silly diet fad” that will fall out of fashion. But don’t take my word for it; experiment for yourself, completely avoid gluten for 1-3 months and see what happens.

 

With that said there is an interesting rumble that happened in the Paleo/Primal community a couple weeks ago.

 

2.  Mathieu Lalonde – “There are no absolutes!” – Things are debated and new discoveries are constantly being made when in comes to nutrition.

Mathieu Lalonde is a Harvard trained organic chemist and he was one of the speakers at the Ancestral Health Symposium at UCLA last month. Mathieu is part of the Paleo community but he is also a nutritional contrarian. As a well-trained Ivy League scientist Mathieu delivered a bit of a smack down to the Paleo Community.  I say Bravo!  I value critical thinking. Whether it’s an individual, an organization, an institution or a philosophical position there must be a set of checks and balances. I hate propaganda wrapped in vague, unverifiable language. I think it is far to easy to jump on a bandwagon and a soapbox and become dogmatic and rigid in our thinking; nutrition or otherwise.

At the end of the day there are no absolutes.

Sure, I sit strongly in the Paleo camp when it comes to nutrition. As I’ve written here before, I’ve had great results personally and with my clients when eating Paleo. But Mathieu cautions which words, terms and definitions we use as well as making sweeping generalizations. His points are well taken.  The fact that the Paleo community can be flexible, humble and smart enough to have a dose of reality built into their annual conferences makes me respect their nutritional position even more.

To listen to Mathieu’s full smack down lecture, click here.

 

3.  The Slow Down Diet:  Eating for Pleasure, Energy & Weight Loss

Lately I’ve been thinking and talking to people about the emotions and the psychology that surround healthy eating and weight loss. As much as I love the geeky science that surrounds Gluten-Free and Paleo I believe the physical food (while important) is only one piece to the pie.  No pun intended.

Last week at church I ran into a friend who I hadn’t seen for a couple years.  She serendipitously mentioned that she was looking into the Institute For the Psychology of Eating in Boulder.

Huh?

How is it that I did not know about this place?  And it’s right in my own backyard. Well okay, 40 minutes away, but still.

The website lists the classes, certifications and resources available to the public.  I dashed to my local bookstore and bought the book.  The general philosophy is:

“When people stopped denying and began nourishing themselves (in all areas of their lives).  When they chose healthy pleasure over pain and worked with natural rhythms rather than against them, they ceased being victimized by food, by their bodies, and by anyone else’s standards.  They took responsibility for making simple but profound changes that created an empowered metabolic state.”

Eight-Universal Metabolizers

Relaxation – The more you regulate and lower the stress hormone (cortisol) through sleep, consistent relaxation and deep breathing practices the better you metabolize food.

Quality- Choose high quality foods as much as possible and eliminate poor quality foods which slow metabolism and digestion.

Awareness – The less aware we are of what we eat (shoveling a burger in our mouth while driving down the free-way) the more the brain sends signals that it is constantly hungry.

Rhythm – Time of day effects how we metabolize food as does the time of the year and the season.

Pleasure - A pleasurable experience of the meal increases metabolism.  The French sit down, enjoy and savor a meal for a couple hours with loved ones which improves their metabolism ten fold. The type of food doesn’t matter as much as the atmosphere in which it is eaten.

Thought - Negative self-talk “I am so fat”, “I shouldn’t eat this”, “I can’t lose weight”, “I hate myself therefore I will punish myself with food” restricts the nerve pathways, hormones and neuropeptides that are responsible for digestion and metabolism.

Story – Our bodies hold memories. Current body image, feelings about sexuality, relationships or emotional boundaries get tied up in how we metabolize food.  People unconsciously try to buffer, hide and protect themselves (because of past abuse/trauma) and the body will therefore slow metabolism in order to “pad the body” with extra weight for protection.

Sacred- Creating routines and ritual in the actual cooking, preparing, sharing of whole food, along with blessing and giving thanks while eating are all metabolic enhancers.

 

So there you go, a couple Healthy Discoveries for you to chew on and think about, until next time…

 

 

I just completed a 30 Day Paleo Challenge.  I started it on June 17th and finished on July 18th.

My results?

I lost 13.5 pounds and 4 inches!

This is me on Memorial Day 2011 in the Bolder Boulder 10K Race.  I do not like this picture of me, but I’m posting it because it’s the only recent picture I had of myself  in workout clothes.

 

Fast forward to Monday July 18th, and this time I have lost the slouch, the sweatshirt and the 13.5 pounds.  And I feel much better than I did one month ago.

 

Paleo Diet Challenge In A Nut Shell:

I know, I know, you’re thinking,  ”This is I.M.P.O.S.S.I.B.L.E. there is NO WAY I could ever do this.”

That’s cool, I have no special interest in you eating this way or not eating this way.

But I want to tell you why I feel I was successful in such a short amount of time and why I think you’d be pleasantly surprised if you committed to your own 30-day Paleo Challenge.  30 days is nothing in the big picture of things.  If you hate it, then stop after the 30 days and never eat that way again, but you really have nothing to lose (except weight) and:

a.)  This isn’t as hard as it first appears.

b.)  You will look and feel so much better.

 

How I Approached My 30 Day Challenge

1.  I made a decision that I was going to do it- I stuck to it and I did not “cheat”, ever.  I made up my mind and my focus was laser sharp for 30 days.  Honestly people, making a decision to follow-thru and not quit is 60% of your success.

Now, let me say this.  It took me awhile before I decided to fully commit to this challenge.  It wasn’t that I was going through McDonalds drive-thru, I was just depleted.  I was weighed down and bloated with emotions that I wasn’t digesting and eliminating.  I reached for some comfort in food in order to replace the sweetness and calm that I wasn’t finding in my life.  It doesn’t work, I know that.  But the Bhakti Chai, corn tortilla enchiladas, blue chips and hummus, red wine, gluten-free cookies, and Justin’s chocolate peanut butter cups comforted me temporarily.  I needed that, and I’m not ashamed to say that.  I didn’t beat myself up then and I don’t beat myself up now.  It’s simply the place I was in and it had nothing to do with my lack of nutritional understanding.

I’m telling you this because if you’re in a starch and sugar rut right now, it may be exactly what you need to do.  So keep doing it!  I’m totally serious.  Give yourself a break and eat the cookie.  That’s what I did!

The research shows, and I agree, that when you stop berating yourself about what you ate, or didn’t eat, and how you think you look, you will be less likely to abuse yourself with food and chronic dieting.

However…

So on June 17th I decided it was time for me to change things up.  I needed a challenge because I had felt stagnate for too long.

 

 

2.  I Chose Paleo over anything else – I’ve studied and eaten Paleo  70%-80% of the time for years (I’m gluten-free) and I know it is biochemically sound, so I committed myself to a strict Paleo regime.  Here’s what I ate (and didn’t eat).

I didn’t eat processed foods

I didn’t eat grains or legumes- This includes soy, rice, corn, wheat, and any grain product like pasta, breads, or cereal as well as legumes (beans) and white potatoes.

I didn’t eat dairy- This includes milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, cottage cheese, sour cream, cream cheese.

I didn’t eat sugars- This includes all refined, processed and artificial sugars.  I didn’t drink soda (diet or regular) and I eliminated all alcohol.

I didn’t eat processed vegetable oils –  Soybean, peanut, cottonseed oils.

 

I did eat real foods

I did increase healthy fats – Coconut oil, pastured butter, avocado, fish and nut oils.

I did eat an abundance of colorful vegetables (50% of every meal if possible) and fruit when desired - beet tops, kale, collard greens, zucchini, spinach, berries, watermelon, pineapple, apples, etc

I did eat protein – beef, bison, chicken, turkey, fish, lamb, eggs

 

Here is a sample of my typical meals:

Breakfast

• Eggs, nitrate-free bacon, sometimes blueberries, often zucchini, spinach or whatever vegetable I had on hand to mix into my eggs.
• Tuna salad or egg salad on some leafy greens
• Salmon and veggies (left-over from the night before)
• Roasted chicken and veggies (left over from the night before)
• Smoothie – Whey Protein Powder (I use Jay Robb, chocolate because it’s one of the cleanest retail protein powders available) collard greens, beet tops, blackberries, ground flax seeds (2 tablespoons), water. Throw it all in the blender.  Liquify.  Drink!

Lunch

• Any protein, veggie left-overs I had from the night before.

• I’m often eating out at lunch so these are some of my go-to-fast-food-picks.

*Wahoo’s Fish Tacos - Grilled white fish and grilled veggies only $4.00 which I think is a great deal.

*Lark Burger – All natural Angus burger wrapped in lettuce with a side salad.

*Mad Greens – Any salad with chicken or steak (I like the Ty Cobb or Edgar Allen Poe Salads).

*Jimmy John’s  Unwich - Roast beef, turkey and tomato wrapped in lettuce.

*The Cup (my favorite Boulder coffee shop) – I order my regular turkey, avocado, tomato and lettuce club and then remove the gluten-free bread that I normally eat.  If I’m there for breakfast I have eggs, ham and avocado, they call it their Paleo option, imagine that

 

Dinner

• Every Day Paleo Cookbook – I use this a lot!  The author is a 30-something mom who only prepares protein and vegetable meals for her family.  The fact that her 3 growing boys love all the meals in this cookbook is a huge testament to her recipes.  Here’s a quick video about this cookbook.  One of my favorite recipes is the curry meatballs, I use bison meat.   Sarah, also has a fantastic podcast, she answers readers questions about anything and everything Paleo.

• Primal Blue Print Cookbook – More great protein, vegetable based recipes!  And Mark Sisson has one of the best websites about primal (same thing as Paleo) eating.

• Last night (Day 29 of my challenge) I grilled shrimp with curry powder, sauteed zucchini in coconut oil and had fresh pineapple for dinner.  This is a typical dinner for me, I tend to cook more fish at home.

• If I’m traveling or eating out with friends for dinner, I choose beef, grilled chicken or fish with a side of grilled/steamed veggies and a salad.

 

Social Occasions

• 4th of July – My friends and family annual picnic included a taco bar this year.  I ate the pulled pork, grilled chicken, pico de gallo, fresh avocado, lettuce, tomato, watermelon and berries.
• Italian Restaurant – I went out to eat with my sister and her boyfriend at one of their favorite pizza spots.  I ordered a grilled steak salad.
• Business Happy Hour – Most people were drinking beer, wine and eating tortilla chips. I ordered shrimp cocktail and drank water.
• Grace Potter Concert - I met friends before the concert for a drink.  They had beers and I had water.  I ate dinner at home before I left.
• Girls Bunco Group – There are always bowls of candy on the tables as we rotate through our dice game.  I usually eat some candy at Bunco, this month I didn’t eat any.

Not one person asked me why I skipped the taco shell/tortillas/candy or why I ordered shrimp instead of eating chips and just drank water.  I didn’t talk about it either, we honestly had more interesting things to talk about then people’s food selections.

Moral of the story, the less of a production you make about what you’re eating (to yourself or others) the less of an issue it is. I told maybe 3 people that I was doing The Paleo Challenge this month.  I went on with my life and rarely mentioned it.

Do not make this difficult.  You can pretty much ALWAYS find protein, vegetables and water options wherever you go.  Drop the OMG-What-Will-I-Eat-If-I-Can’t-Eat-Bread/Sugar drama and enjoy your nourishing social interactions and relationships while you nourish yourself with real, whole, nutrient rich foods.

Easy Peasy!

 

Snacks

I don’t snack per se.  I always ate 3 meals (I never skipped a meal) and I often eat 4 or 5 meals a day. I don’t count calories, I never have.  If I’m hungry I eat a meal, i.e. some left over egg salad and steamed broccoli that is in my refrigerator.  In a pinch I’ll have a Larabar (dates, nuts, fruit) but I try to avoid that and just eat a combination of a lean protein, healthy fat and colorful vegetables whenever I’m hungry.

 

 

3.  I did power (hot) yoga 3-4 times a week – I know a lot of people have negative connotations toward yoga for various reasons, and believe me, I get it!  I rolled up my yoga mat four years ago and didn’t step foot into a yoga studio for a long time.  But, there are many different styles of yoga and I have slowly come back.  The other thing is, I am the least flexible person in the world.  Truly I am!  But I find I really enjoy the flow sequence of Baptiste Power Yoga and Vinasaya classes. I feel great (mentally and physically) afterwards.

I also walked a 3-mile path in the hills of South Denver a couple times a week, but I felt like I really wanted yoga to be my primary source of exercise during this 30-day challenge.

Why?

Jada Teta, Naturopathic Doctor and personal trainer says, “You can either eat your way to gaining weight or stress yourself there.”  I think I did a lot of the later.

I needed to start moving some of those “issues out of my tissues” by sweating, twisting, stretching and bending my body.  Yoga classes were a perfect outlet for me.  Moving stagnate emotional energy out of your body through yoga or any exercise that resonates with you will always help the scale go down!

 

4.  I took Carnitine- I lost an average of 3.3 pounds per week.  I believe I lost 2 pounds each week because I ate Paleo based meals and I had a consistent yoga practice.  I believe I lost the other 1.3 pounds each week from Carnitine.  I love Carnitine!  I don’t know why more people don’t know about it and why more nutritionists don’t recommend it?

What is Carnitine? *It is sometimes thought of as an amino acid but it is actually very similar to choline, which is a B-vitamin.

What Carnitine is not – It is not a stimulate or diet drug.  It is naturally found in animal products, especially red meat.  However, unless you are eating pounds of (grass-fed) red meat every day (I’m certainly not doing that) you probably aren’t getting enough Carnitine.

What does Carnitine do? – *Carnitine supports weight loss.  It picks up fat and puts it in the part of the cell that burns if off without any side effects.  Scientific evidence shows that increased levels of Carnitine lead to increased fat burning.  Carnitine also helps increase metabolic rate while maintaining levels of muscle tissue.  This is crucial because muscle tissue is where you do most of your fat burning.  Carnitine is also useful for eliminating cravings and increasing the amount of energy you have for exercise, both of which are very helpful for those who want to lose weight.

My lean muscle to fat ratio is good right now. My body fat dropped to 16%.  I’m thrilled that I actually lost fat pounds and not muscle pounds during this 30 day period.  I attribute that to Carnitine.

Other Benefits - *Increases energy levels, lowers cholesterol and triglycerides, promotes heart health, promotes healthy circulation, promotes liver health.

Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?

Not only is it true but it is totally legit.  It’s a B-vitamin that you’re getting every time you eat a burger or steak (one of the many reasons to eat your beef, huh?)  Robert Crayhon, one of my nutrition mentors, and a man truly ahead of his time in the nutrition field, wrote The Carnitine Miracle in 2001, I highly recommend educating yourself on this nutrient, especially if you want to enhance weight loss.

Where Can You Get Carnitine? – I use Designs for Health (DFH) liquid Carnitine.  1 teaspoon equals 2500 mg.  I took it in the mornings with breakfast and then went to yoga.

DFH is a pharmaceutical grade, nutraceutical company that only sells to functional medicine medical doctors, acupuncturists, nutritionists, osteopaths, naturopaths, etc.  So you have to find a nutritionally oriented practitioner who carries liquid Carnitine.  I would not recommend buying capsules from places like Costco.  You need a high quality, high amount (2 grams), pure, trustworthy source.

Finally, don’t take Carnitine and then sit around and eat pop-tarts and drink diet soda, have you seen the recent studies on diet soda and weight gain? If you take it while you eat a crappy diet you probably won’t see any benefit, and liquid Carnitine is not cheap.  So don’t waste your time or money with Carnitine of you’re not dedicated to actively changing your diet.

*Source=DFH

5.  I drank a lot of water - I drank a minimum of 80 ounces of water every day and some days I’d drink 120 ounces (almost a gallon).

Don’t whine about this.  Drinking water is a crucial yet easy step in this whole process.  Just do it!

If you truly want to lose fat and avoid plateaus in your fat-loss process you HAVE to drink copious amounts of water. (80-100 ounces a day is probably a good range for most adults to drink over the course of a day.)

But there are two parts to this.

1.  Eliminate all soda (diet and regular),  juice, alcohol, chai, sweetened coffee, sweetened tea, and any artificially sweetened or “naturally” flavored water look a likes!

2.  Only drink fresh pure water, and drink it every day.  There’s probably a good argument for adding some pure electrolytes, trace minerals, or a pinch of Celtic Sea Salt to your water too, but we can talk about that later.

For the past 30 days all I drank was water.  Every once in awhile I would make one cup of herbal spice tea. I brewed 1 tea bag in the evening and drank a cup of tea before bed. That’s it. Taking my coveted Bhakti Chai and red wine out of my diet made a big difference.  They both add up to a lot of sugar over a 30 day time period.  Excess sugar (especially in drinks) = excess pounds.

 

Booyah!  I think that is officially the longest post I’ve ever written.

 

Now What?

I’m going to keep doing what I’ve been doing, no big changes.  I’m thrilled with how my body transformed in 4 short weeks.  And more importantly, I feel great.  I function so much better when I eat protein, vegetables, healthy fats (90% of the time) and eliminate grains and sugars.  So I’m sticking to it!  Does this mean I’ll never eat a chocolate peanut butter cup again?  Of course not.  But they are “treats” and not part of my every day coping mechanism right now. I will add a new dimension into my exercise routine, but I’ll blog about that later.

In the meantime, If you want help developing your own 30 Day Challenge, or you want to use Carnitine, electrolytes, and tweak your current routine, I can take a look your recent blood panels and any metabolic disturbances that might be tripping you up like thyroid issues, food intolerance, or cravings that sabotage you.  It doesn’t have to be that way, believe me, you can make some sustainable changes.

You now know my recent story and how I’ll use this to enhance my current consulting practice. I also continue to use my clinical nutrition experience from the last decade.  If you know me personally, you know that I’ll never take a “purist” or “guru” approach with you. My friend Connie wrote a blog post about what it’s like to mingle with me at a party on a Saturday night. This sums up how I try to approach all my patients and clients.

I work with people in person, over the phone or via Skype.  I will support you when you need it (because more than likely I’ve been there too) and I’ll hold your feet to the fire and keep you accountable (since I just finished holding my own feet to the fire, I’m reinvigorated with new tips and resources). Each session is $85.  Contact: jolene@healthydiscoveries.com

 

Resources

Frequently Asked Questions About The Paleo Diet

Nutritional Analysis of Paleo Foods vs. Whole Grains

The Paleo Solution – by Robb Wolf

The Paleo Diet – Loren Cordain

The Paleo Diet For Athletes - Loren Cordain

 

Last month I met some of my Denver, Boulder blogger friends for lunch.  After lunch we went to Lovely Confections for dessert (because they make gluten-free cupcakes).

This sign was hanging behind their counter.

Can we all just give one big collective Booyah! cheer for Julia Child.

Anyway I digress…

During that said blogger luncheon a fellow Denver blogger told me about Pinterest, as in “Pin Your Interest.”  It is a virtual pinboard – a place where you can collect and collage your ideas.  Every couple days I go to Pinterest because there is a constant stream of new inspiration and images.  You can create as many boards (themes) as you like.

 

One board I created is quotes that resonate with me.

 

 

 

Then I created a board of fun ideas.  No surprise that a lot of what I “pin” has to do with food.

 

 

Here are some kitchen window herbs in tea tins and a fun baby shower idea that I “pinned”.

 

I also started “pinning” things that I had in my childhood.

 

This was my 2nd grade lunch box and thermos.  I completely forgot about it until I saw it on Pinterest one day.

 

Then I “pin” the funny.

 

 

And the serious.

 

Pinterest.com is a great place to collect ideas.  Do you want to reinvigorate your Career? Relationships? Health?  Then start visioning (pinning) pictures and phrases on a Pinterest Board. It’s one of the best Healthy Discoveries I’ve come across this year.

Are you redecorating your home?  Preparing for a new baby?  Look to Pinterest for unique ideas. Or maybe you desire more relaxation in your life.  Pin those relaxing images!

Do you want to travel somewhere special?   Pin it!  Do you want to cook healthy food?  Pin that too. How about exercise your way to a healthy body?  Pin, Pin, Pin.  The options are endless.

When we pay attention to our desires, our daily energy levels increase. And embracing your desires will sustain your health!

Dale Carnegie encouraged people to create clear pictures in their mind of exactly what they want otherwise…

I used to cut images out of magazines when I wanted to create and collect ideas, today I use Pinterest.  It is so much fun!

Last Thursday morning I tested positive for Strep Throat.  I rolled out of bed and into the Internal Medicine Doctor’s office where I usually work as their nutritionist.

I said, “I’m sure this isn’t strep, but would you humor me and swab my throat anyway?”

Three minutes later, we had the results.

The test was positive.

“Are you sure?”  I said, “because I have never had strep throat, this was just a guess on my part, I don’t have to be right about this.”  But there was no arguing the growing streptococcus bacteria sample that just came out of the back of my throat.

Gross!

Two hours later I started the loading dose of Z-Pak antibiotics.  I’m not thrilled about taking antibiotics, however, I’m thankful for antibiotics when a true bacteria infection is present, they work wonders!

Within a couple hours of taking the first round of antibiotics my throat began to feel better.  But the swollen lymph glands in my neck, fatigue, body aches, drainage from my sinuses, ears and throat didn’t subside as quickly.  My immune system was at battle and I felt horrible.

Along with the antibiotics I began some other remedies.  First and foremost I began taking probiotics which I’ll continue daily for at least a month.  The other remedies listed below can also be used to strengthen and expedite the fight against viral or bacteria infections that you or your family might encounter this winter.

1.  Neti-Pot - Oh how I love the Neti-Pot!  I’ve been using it two times a day since I got sick.  It takes some getting used to, as you have to breathe through your mouth and not choke on the salt water while you pour water into one nostril and let it drain out the other nostril. It’s used for removing dirt, pollen, excess mucus, and other irritants (see strep bacteria!).  It’s soothing and moistening to dried out nasal passages. 

• Mix 1/4 teaspoon of non-iodized salt in warm water.
• Put the salt water mixture into the Neti Pot.
• Insert the spout into your nostril.
• Tilt you head over the sink. The salt water will run up your nostril and drain out the other nostril.
• When all the water has flushed through, blow out remaining water and mucus.
• Repeat process in the other nostril.

2.  Wet-Sock Therapy - I realize this recommendation is a bit “odd”, however it is one that I use and it is a standard remedy that naturopathic doctors use to increase immune function.  This treatment acts to reflexively increase the circulation and decrease congestion in the upper respiratory passages, head, and throat. It has a sedating action and many patients report that they sleep much better during the treatment. This treatment is also effective for pain relief and increases the healing response during acute infections.  By changing the temperature of your feet it causes your body to do the same thing as it would for any threat – initiate the fever response (one of our best defenses) and also raise your circulating levels of white blood cells.

• Soak cotton socks completely with cold water. Be sure to wring the socks out thoroughly so they do not drip and are just damp to the touch.
• Place wet socks on previously warmed feet (i.e. after you get out of a warm bath) and cover with thick wool socks. Go directly to bed. Avoid getting chilled.
• Keep socks on overnight. You will find that the wet cotton socks will be completely dry by morning and your chest and head congestion will be significantly reduced.

3.  Hot Epsom Salt Baths - I’m a fan of Epsom Salt baths in general, but when I’m sick they have extra benefit. The Epsom Salt pulls impurities out of the body and relaxes the muscles.

4.  Sleep-  Just one night of poor sleep can dramatically decrease the immune system’s activity the next day. Long, deep, restful sleep can do wonders in keeping your immune system strong.  I powered down my computer and iPhone and pretty much escaped to my bed for 48 hours this weekend.

5.  Quick Defense - This is my all time favorite immune boosting product.  It’s made by Gaia Herbs and you can find it in almost any health food store.  It packs a powerful punch of a strong Echinacea and Elderberry blend.  Take two capsules every couple hours for two days until the product is gone.  I swear by this product.  Start it at the first sign of sickness and it will either stop it in its tracks or cut the duration significantly.

6. Hydrogen Peroxide Ear Drops - This is more for a cold virus but I did it anyway.  At the first sign of a sore throat place 5 drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide in your ear for 10 minutes. Hydrogen peroxide placed in the ear goes directly to the cold source and kills germs before they get a chance to infect the rest of the body.

7.  Fluids - Lots and lots of WATER helps to flush the toxins out of the lymph.  Warm water with fresh squeezed lemon juice tasted really good to me this weekend.  Any herbal teas (Throat Coat, Immune Builder, Elderberry, etc) are great too.  Try NOT to drink juice because of the high sugar content, if you do drink juice dilute it with copious amounts of water.

8.  Skin Brushing - Stimulates the lymph system.  The lymph system’s main function is to protect against invading disease and micro-organisms.  The draw back is it doesn’t have its own pump, and so, the movement of the lymph is dependent on good breathing and circulation. This is where skin brushing comes in. Brushing the body with a brush of natural fibers, from the extremities (the legs and arms) towards the heart, boosts what may be an otherwise sluggish flow of lymph.  This is a good daily practice but if you do it when you are sick it helps the lymph quickly move disease and toxins out of the body!

9.  Mind/Body Connection - It didn’t go unnoticed to me that I got sick days before an emotional week for me.  When we “don’t have time to get sick” and if we get sick with something that we’ve never been sick with before, ask yourself this:

A.  Is this physically related  i.e was I just unlucky and contracted strep bacteria for the first time in my life?

OR

B.  Is this emotionally related i.e. was I emotionally taxed and my immune system became suppressed?

I’m going with option B.

I realize an infection can just be an infection, and there doesn’t have to be a deeper meaning.  But I also believe there can be connections between the mind, body, emotions and illness.  In fact Louise Hay’s infamous work and book focuses on this very idea.  Deb Shapiro has written about this theory in Your Body Speaks Your Mind and Karol Truman did the same in, Feeling Buried Alive Never Die. I looked up sore throat and its emotional connection:

• The inability to speak up for one’s self – Um doesn’t totally resonate.
• Swallowed anger – Hmm, probably.
• Stifled creativity - Yes!!!
• Refusal to change- Ding, ding, ding this hits the nail on the head, and sums up exactly what the week of December 13th symbolized to me.

Ironically the exact moment I was standing in line at the pharmacy for my antibiotics I received an email on my iPhone.  The situation (which I let suppress my immune system in the first place) had just been postponed until January.  Interesting.  I hadn’t told anyone I was sick, but things had been delayed anyway.  So the email and strep throat both gave what I wasn’t willing to give myself — Time!

Messages and gifts come in all forms, last week my message was delivered in the form of an illness and electronic mail; apparently the *time* has come for me to make some changes, refusals and all…

It’s no secret that I subscribe to the paleo philosophy when it comes to nutrition.  I therefore have a bias toward paleo eating for weight loss.

If you want to hear me explain my rationale for this way of eating, listen to the interview I did with Jimmy Moore on his podcast this summer.  A paleo diet (short for paleolithic) consists of foods that humans ate prior to the agriculture age i.e. meat, fish, eggs, tree nuts, vegetables, roots, berries, animal fats etc.  If you can hunt, pick and gather it, you can eat it.

The way to hunt, pick and gather in a modern supermarket is to shop the outer perimeters of the store and avoid the boxed and packaged food as much as possible.

Foods like dairy, beans/legumes, all grains, soy, sugar and fake foods (aspartame, trans-fats, high fructose corn syrup) came much later in history  and are not part of the paleo way of eating.  The premise behind the paleo diet is that the more we ate grains, sugars and processed foods the fatter and more unhealthy we became.

The die-hard paleo eaters avoid all grains and I think there is a lot of merit in that.  I personally avoid wheat gluten and dairy but I do eat some quinoa, oats, and brown rice so technically I’m not “true paleo”.

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to nutrition and the debates are on-going. The New York Times just published this contrarian article on Monday, Paleolithic Humans Had Bread Along With Their Meat, but when I work with people who struggle with weight loss I tend to guide them toward a low-sugar, low-grain approach. However, I’m constantly adapting menu ideas to people’s travel schedules, kids schedules and busy lives.  I always say, “if you hate it or find it too restrictive then stop, but at least give it a try for 14-21 days.”  You really have nothing to lose (except weight ) as you’re eating real, whole, non-processed food.  More often then not people are surprised that their energy increases, their weight decreases and they start to look better –clearer eyes, better skin, less bloating, etc. when they eat more of a paleo-based diet.

Here are some general guidelines:

1.  Eat colorful fresh vegetables, a little bit of protein and some good fats (see #6) at every meal.

2.  Do not skip meals. And ideally eat 4-6 times per day.

3.  Drink plenty of water.  I know, you hate drinking water, I hear it all the time.  However, our bodies are 70% water and mild dehydration will actually inhibit weight loss among numerous other physiological problems so Drink Up!

4.  Eliminate wheat and white flour products.  Note any changes you see on the scale and your energy level.  If you notice a big difference (which a lot of people do) you might want to consider avoiding wheat and flour products on a more permanent basis.

5.  Keep your fruit intake to two pieces of fruit per day.  If you find you need more starchy carbohydrates to sustain your energy, eat “real” carbohydrates which are naturally full of fiber i.e. sweet potatoes, steel cut oats, brown rice, quinoa, teff bread, etc.  Do not let yourself go hungry, especially if you are exercising!  This is not about deprivation instead it is about balancing your blood sugar, insulin and cortisol through eating consistently and avoiding refined sugars.  You will become metabolically efficient and burn more energy when you eat this way.  But don’t take my word for it, try it for yourself and see what happens.

6. Don’t be afraid of fat. (Olive oil, butter, coconut oil, fish oil, flax seeds, avocado, walnut oil).  Avoid trans fat (margarine, partially hydrogenated oils in packaged foods)

7. Eat a protein based breakfast!  Even if you don’t follow a paleo way of eating, having breakfast is one of the most important things you can do to maintain health, energy and weight.  I see positive results all the time in my patients who eat a low-sugar, high protein breakfast.  In other words toss the sugary granola and enjoy *real* eggs!

8.  Some sample meals, any of these could be eaten as breakfast, snacks and, or lunch, dinner:

• Grilled fish, stir fry vegetables in olive oil
• Whey protein shake ( I like Jay Robb’s brand), fresh blackberries, unsweetened almond milk, ground flax seeds, coconut oil
• Grilled chicken breast, roasted asparagus, red peppers, onions, zucchini, sweet potato with butter and cinnamon
• Bison (buffalo) burger, leafy green salad with walnut oil
• Eggs (hard boiled, scrambled, poached) with steamed veggies and butter
• Fresh berries (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries) and some raw almonds

9.  During active weight loss, avoid the following:  sodas, fruit juice, alcohol, sweet tea, packaged foods (cereals, chips, candy bars, baked goods, pasta, bread etc), refined vegetable oils (corn oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, canola oil).

10.  Shopping List: This is NOT an exhaustive list, instead it is meant to give an idea of paleo-based proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

PROTEIN:

Fish- Sardines are excellent if you like them, for a complete list of low-mercury containing fish visit the Environmental Working Group website.

Meat – Bison (buffalo), turkey, chicken, lamb, eggs, beef, pork, wild game (elk, quail, etc)

CARBOHYDRATES:

Vegetables – Broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, red, green and yellow peppers, eggplant, chard, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, lettuce, cabbage, artichokes, celery, zucchini, asparagus, green beans, snow peas, garlic, onions, seaweed.

Fruit- Berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, etc) cherries, figs, lemon, pineapple, pears, apples, bananas, avocados.

FATS:

Nuts & Seeds- Flaxseeds, walnuts, almonds, pecans, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, cashews.

Oils- Extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, butter, ghee, sesame oil, walnut oil, fish oil.

BEVERAGES: filtered water, green tea, herbal tea.

SWEETENERS: Stevia.

Now if that totally stressed you out and made you throw your arms in the air and say, “There is NO way I can eat like that! I mean seriously, I can’t imagine not eating bread?”   No worries!  I work with people like you all the time.  I see patients during the week in a medical doctor’s office in Denver and I also do phone consultations if you don’t live in the Denver Metro area.  Email me: jolene@healthydiscoveries.com and I’m happy to set up a time to help you with your diet concerns and challenges, paleo or not!

In the meantime, here are some Paleo Resources for further information:

The Paleo Diet 

The Paleo Solution