You Can’t Afford Not to do This (Eating Healthy ((with advice)) to stay healthy)!

You’ve been reading about different things related to health, but you think that some things just can’t be helped. But, What if they can?! I’ve experienced countless benefits for myself and others I’ve coached in nutrition and fitness. For example, I had a client who told me he had a nervous system disorder. I educated him on some basic nutrition helpers and told him about Omega-3 fatty acids. He started taking flax seed oil each day and eventually all his symptoms went away! About a month later, he came back and thanked me.

I had what appeared and felt like one of those little annoying skin cancer spots on my face. Instead of rushing to a dermatologist, I applied a special essential oil directly to my skin and praise God, It eventually dried up and healed over. Note, I had previously had a confirmed skin cancer spot (very same characteristics as the “new” spot and in the same area) that was surgically removed.

I had a client come back to me another time thanking me for how much better she felt after showing her how to switch to a low-glycemic, high fiber foods-diet. She had lost weight and looked great and dramatically reduced her chances of becoming a diabetic. None of these results with clients were because I met with them day after day or prescribed some drug. It was simply educating them on what’s good!

I have no desire to cheat anyone, only to help! I’ve searched for ways of doing this very simply and without hassle on your part. My years of studies and real life applications are a growing passion. Help me help you by filling out this short survey and providing me with your contact information.

God bless you!

Take this Questionnaire and you will open the door to help!

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Charlene Ryan holds a degree in Natura Health, has had almost 20 years of personal training experience and continues to study and go forward in natural remedies and disease prevention.

Fitness on Your Mind?

Accountability accompanied by regular changes to one’s workout guarantees motivation and success. exercise routines do not have to be something to overcome, but an enrichment of your life and an extension to life.

The quality of life is increased when you have thwarted the biological response that causes your body to respond to stress, only adding to the stresses. How do you thwart those stresses? By physically training your body! (oh, and your mind benefits hugely as well!)

Weight-training also called resistance training is good for everyone at varying extents depending upon age, ability, and desire for various results. In the past, as a trainer, I incorporated many different types of training as needed. My clients have varied greatly and so did the exercises. Keep in mind when delving into weight training: If the weight is too heavy, you will not get a full range of motion. Use this as your guide. If you are new to this, try a rep range of about 10-12, for 2 sets per exercise. Eventually you can work up to 3 sets per exercise. Look up resistance training videos for specific body parts. Key in on compound exercises; ones that work multiple muscles at one time such as back rows, chest presses and squats. Keep in mind when preforming squats, you must work on form prior to grabbing weights

Aerobic Training is a common method of exercise. You may or may not like to hear that it is not the best type for your body.
Beating up the body for 60 minutes isn’t natural just as running for hours isn’t natural. True, endorphins are created and you feel good, the heart rate increases and decreases throughout the workout. But the best exercise for your body is moderate exercise.
Even with moderate exercise you can increase your VO2 max (oxygen uptake). Moderate exercise can include intervals or a steady pace, gradually increasing in time and intensity on whatever type of cardiovascular exercise or machine you choose. Participating in resistance training, interval training classes, dance-type classes, and sport-specific training all have their place. When you get right down to it, variety is really the key. Listen to your body. If something feels ridiculous to you, try something you feel comfortable with.

Interval Training is generally loaded with variety. Within a good interval training workout, you should have resistance training and intense bouts of exercise to challenge you. You’re body will gradually change shape for the better. IT is also very efficient time-wise and in fat-burning.

Other workouts for the well-rounded exerciser: tabata, trx training, stretch classes, pilates, zumba dance, jump rope, power lifting moves, sport-specific training, kick boxing, and martial arts.

Italian Skillet Pizza

Easy Semolina Crust Pizza. Try with tomato or pesto and be done in like 30 minutes!

Fit, Healthy, Happy Home

 

I love pizza and always want to make it light and healthy. Contrary to American Pizzas, In Italy, you can find pizza like this one with no yeast, buffalo mozzarella, and fresh vegetables.  in my opinion, there’s not much need for thick doughy crusts all the time. Have a light Italian night!

Here in the states (seeing as how I’m not in Italy),  I buy what is the best and available to me. So I choose raw organic cheese, organic tomatoes or tomato sauce and organic fresh vegetables. 

Pizza to me has to be done authentically and healthfully. There can be so much good for you in pizza, but when you always have pizza made with white flour, processed (pasteurized) cheese, pepperoni, and other greasy meats, it (may taste good, but)takes a toll on you especially if it becomes a weekly habit.

This recipe is based on a recipe from Cooking for Healthy…

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Breakfast Spa-Cakes

Fit, Healthy, Happy Home

Breakfast Spa-Cakes

Once while on a food detox, I made up this recipe. Now, although I eat clean 90% of the time, I realized how much more limited I was when having to eliminate wheat, and dairy (my extent of eating wheat is pasta, couscous, and sprouted grain bread, and occaisional homemade baked goods; for dairy, all I consume is yogurt and occaisional raw cheese or Parmesan) On a food detox, you eliminate all foods with gluten, added sugars, caffeine, alcohol, dairy, and meat. Forgive me if I forgot anything. Although, the best food detoxes are with raw food only, I feel this occaisional detox also has its place for those that still include some dairy, wheat, and a few more of the above mentioned foods.

These little pancakes are quite filling. Serve with fruit, and you will be satisfied.

Makes 8 small, but hearty pancakes

¼ cup quinoa or quinoa flour

¼ cup…

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Raw Cookie Dough Bites

If you want a guilt-free cookie dough to eat, here it is; loaded with protein, fiber and nutrients, you won’t hesitate to grab one of these for a sweet treat.

When we care about what we eat and feed our family, we will see a change in health and energy levels. Feeling good after eating is a good feeling!

Makes about 32

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cashews, soaked 10-20 minutes
• 3/4 cup raw prepared buckwheat (presoaked and dried for digestibility)*
• 1/2 cup organic medjool dates, pitted
• 1/2 cup coconut cream, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure stevia powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 teaspoons coconut sugar or more (optional for a little crunch)
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup mini dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Process cashews and buckwheat. Add dates and process until consistent. Add coconut cream, coconut oil and agave and process again. Stir in chocolate chips. Wrap dough in parchment paper; form into a log. Place in freezer just until firm enough to cut. Cut into any size pieces and shape however you want.(I used a tablespoon this time and shaped each one into a ball.) Return balls to freezer or refrigerator to firm up. They will then be ready to eat!

Try not to eat it all at this point!

• Soak buckwheat for 6 hours, rinse well, shaking the strainer until water runs clear. Lay out buckwheat on a dehydrator tray. Dehydrate until crunchy again (Takes hours and depends on the temperature you set it on. (I choose about 96 degrees and leave it on for the day and transfer it to a cereal bag or container when dry) Alternatively place in a warm over until dry. For this recipe, the buckwheat doesn’t need to be completely dry, but keep in mind you don’t want to add water to the recipe.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Golden Coconut-Ginger Muffins

This is a new comfort food for me. I don’t know what your comfort food is; maybe cinnamon buns or buttered bread. When you adopt these tantalizing flavors into you food routine, it is so very warming. I could’ve called these golden oat bran muffins or high fiber ginger muffins, but the flavors and nutrients won. I hope you like these and they become your new favorite too.

When using coconut oil in recipes, it is important to have most of the cold ingredients at room temperature and to use the oil in its liquid state; a.k.a. melted if need be. In the summer months it is not necessary here in New England. If you ignore this, you might have cold chunks of coconut oil in your bowl of ingredients, and that, my friend is hard to mix.

If on most mornings you are pressed for time, mix your dry ingredients then night before. Then when you get up, you’re half way there! You can do this while your tea is steeping.

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Ingredients: Prep Time: 15 minutes Oven: 400° Bake: 10-12 minutes

• 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup oat bran or more pastry flour
• 1/3 cup tapioca flour or more pastry flour
• 1/3 cup wheat germ
• 1/3 cup coconut flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ginger
• 1-1/2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

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• 1/2 cup warm coconut milk
• 1/4 cup+ 1 tablespoons warmed coconut oil
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 2 eggs at room temperature.
• 2 egg whites(1/4 cup egg whites from a carton works great here)
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk
• 1/3 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut plus more to sprinkle

Directions:

Preheat your even to 400° F. Coat cups of muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.

Stir together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the coconut oil (if cold). Then add the coconut milk and heat about 20 more seconds. Stir in the agave nectar, the coconut sugar, eggs, egg whites and lastly the yogurt. Whisk until smooth.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry along with the coconut and mix just until no dry flour is seen. ( I prefer medium-size shredded coconut as I don’t want big stringy pieces of coconut in my muffins. Although I may sprinkle the larger shreds on top. Both ways are shown below.)

Spoon batter into muffin cups filling 3/4 quarters full. Sprinkle coconut on top. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Check on them during last few minutes. Check for doneness by touching center of a muffin. If it springs back lightly, they’re done!

Crispy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

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It is so easy to make bars like these. Really, we all have to stop buying them! When you make your own, you get to add whatever you want. Even though you can purchase bars that have organic quality ingredients, they are small and usually have cane sugar as the sweetener. If you don’t want the excess sugar in your diet, you can choose unsweetened chocolate and stir in some stevia powder or monk fruit powder. Since we all need Omega-3’s in our diets, I took the opportunity to add beneficial nuts and seeds.

Once you see how this comes together, you will be set to do your own variations. Some ideas for variations and substitute ingredients are, walnuts, for the almonds, chia seeds for the hemp seeds, pea protein for the whey protein ( I plan to try a coffee flavored pea protein next), agave for the honey (although I personally like the texture of honey for this recipe), you can also add cinnamon, cardamom, or ginger. Go a step above this recipe and add in 1/4-1/3 cup chopped dried fruit.

Enjoy making this recipe and eating these bars with your family.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 heaping cup coconut oil
• 1/4 heaping cup peanut butter
• 2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup hemp seeds
• 1 tablespoon milled flax seeds
• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder ( I use MRM natural whey)
• 3 cups organic brown rice crisp cereal ( I use Whole Foods Market brand)
• 1/2 cup mini dark chocolate chips

Directions:

In a large microwave safe bowl, melt the coconut oil. Add the peanut butter and stir together. Microwave for a few more seconds if mixture is chunky. Stir in the dark chocolate and stir until smooth.

In a separate bowl mix the nuts, seeds, protein powder, cereal and dark chocolate chips. Add to the oil mixture. stir until well combined. I use two spoons—seems easier.

Line a baking pan with wax paper. Transfer your bar mixture to the pan. Use a spoon or spatula to smooth it over evenly.

Refrigerate until firm. Transfer to a cutting board to cut into bars.

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Low GI Mint Chocolate Swirl “Ice Cream”

This gallery contains 4 photos.

Originally posted on Fit, Healthy, Happy Home:
Non-dairy ice cream is refreshing not only to the taste but to the body. Don’t you want a guilt-free treat that makes you feel good? Diabetics and those looking to get lean and…

Sweet Mashed Butternut Squash

Creamy mashed butternut squash as a side to your favorite protein and veggie.

If you’re anything like me, you like to blend many flavors together into a taste set apart from the average. With healthy flavors of fenugreek, allspice, cinnamon and maple syrup, you’ll love this recipe for Sweet Mashed Butternut Squash.

When you shop for your squash for this recipe, find a fairly big one with no bruises, cuts or seeping spots. Intact squash will keep for quite a while before getting any soft spots; just keep it in a cool dark place, like a pantry, for 1-3 months. Even though butternut squash is the longest keeper in the squash family, check on it because it is hard to know exactly how old a squash is when you buy it.

If you happen to live near a Trader Joe’s, you must go get your squash there. In my opinion, they have the best butternut squash and at the right price. I paid $1.99 for this one. At a regular grocery store you’d pay for it by the pound and it could cost up to $5.00!

Without further ado here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 large butternut squash
• 1 tablespoon organic ghee
• 1 large shallot, peeled and sliced thin
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• Himalayan salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
3. Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise. Place cut side on baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until skin is lightly browned and starts to bubble. Remove from the oven and let the squash rest for a few minutes.
4. Remove the peel from the squash. Set squash aside.
5. Heat ghee in a sauté pan over medium heat.
6. Add sliced shallot to the pan. Cook for five minutes stirring frequently. Season with salt and add the garlic. Cook and stir for 1 more minute.
7. Stir in the spices and black pepper. Add the maple syrup and turn the heat to low.
8. Add the squash to the pan in chunks and stir to mix. Cook for a minute and then transfer to a food processor fitted with a metal blade.
9. Process until smooth. Return to pan if desired to further warm it or serve right away.

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Wood, Rebecca; The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia, 1999

http://www.eatbydate.com, ” How long does squash last?”

Lavender Chocolate Chip Cookies

Story 1: I have this old cookie recipe that my mom gave me that she originally got from her sister. It’s a different play on the typical chocolate chip cookie. It calls for milk and baking powder, lending a less airy cookie, dense in flavor and bakes sorta like a mound instead of a flat disc.

Story 2 My daughter went to Washington; Whidbey island to be precise. She found a store all about lavender.  Lavender everything.  To make the story short, she brought home some lavender chocolate chip shortbread cookies. I can still taste them upon thinking about them. You ever have that experience?

Story 3 I discussed with her making those cookies for Christmas this year.  I, however am generally not a shortbread cookie kinda girl. I steer away from too much butter in one recipe.  I decided to go to the cookie recipe from story 1 and alter it to my healthy liking and also add ground lavender flowers from which I had previously saved and dried. If I had lavender extract I believe it would take the recipe over the top. Since I didn’t have any, I used vanilla.

The old chocolate chip recipe does not call for chilling the dough,  but doing this firms up the dough allowing you to shape it however you want. I also added almond flour to give it a moist nutty bite (you can’t tell it is in there though).

Without further ado, here is the recipe:

Lavender Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2-1/4 cups white wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup blanched almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 3 teaspoons ground lavender
• 1/4 cup organic butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup natural cane juice sugar
• 1/4 cup stevia for baking
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or lavender extract if you have it!)
• 2 tablespoons coconut milk, room temperature
• 1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
• Coarse sugar, optional

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, and baking powder.

Using a mixer with the paddle attachment, beat coconut oil, ground lavender, butter, sugars and stevia until light and fluffy. Add in the egg, vanilla and coconut milk. Slowly add in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.

Place dough in fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°

On a surface lined with parchment paper, transfer about half of the dough and form into a log about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Roll in coarse sugar if desired. Slice into 1/3-inch pieces and place on baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes. Allow to cool for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Repeat until all cookies are baked and cooling!

Makes about 44 cookies.

Be sure to try one!