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Food 4 Thought The Food You Eat Nourishes The Thoughts You Think..And Thoughts Nourish Your Life! |
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Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love. -Rumi
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Soul Food
Think for a moment of a food from your past, one that makes you feel great after you eat it for no specific reason. Maybe it is macaroni and cheese, slow-simmered tomato sauce, ice cream cones or potato pancakes. Eating comfort foods (every now and then) can be incredibly healing, even though your rational brain might not consider it highly nutritious.
Food has the power to impact us on a level deeper than just our physical well-being. What we eat can reconnect us to precious memories, like childhood playtimes, first dates, holidays, our grandmother’s cooking or our country of ancestry. Our bodies remember foods from the past on an emotional and cellular level. Eating this food connects us to our roots and has youthening and nurturing effects that go far beyond the food’s biochemical make-up.
Acknowledging what different foods mean to us is an important part of cultivating a good relationship with food. This month when we celebrate lovers and relationships, it’s important to notice that we each have a relationship with food—and that this relationship is often far from loving. Many of us restrict food, attempting to control our weight. We often abuse food, substituting it for emotional well-being. Others ignore food, swallowing it whole before we’ve even tasted it.
What would your life be like if you treated food and your body as you would treat your beloved – with gentleness, playfulness, communication, honesty, respect and love? The next time you eat your soul food, do so with awareness and without guilt, and enjoy all the healing and nourishment it brings you.
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Food Focus:Beans
Beans, or legumes, including peas and lentils, are an excellent source of plant-based protein. Beans are found in most traditional cultures as a staple food, offering grounding and strengthening properties that enhance endurance.
They offer a highly usable, highly absorbable source of calcium for the body and have a high degree of antioxidant protection. A very inexpensive source of high nutrition, beans can be rich, delicious and satisfying. Beans are known to reduce cholesterol, blood pressure, risk of cancer, risk of heart disease along with regulating colon functions and preventing bowel problems.
Beans have a reputation for causing digestive distress, but this is usually because they have been undercooked or improperly prepared. To help reduce gas-forming properties, soak beans overnight prior to cooking, increase cooking time, add spices like bay leaf, oregano or cumin, or add kombu (a sea vegetable) when cooking.
Cancer Prevention and Beans
Additional Information
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Upcoming Classes |
Homemade Cleaners January 31st 6:30-7:30pm Location: The Village Learning Centre 733 19th Street, DM Sign Up/Get More Details!
Superfoods & Smoothies For Super Health!February 26th 6:30-8:00pm Location: The Village Learning Centre 733 19th Street, DM Sign Up/Get More Details!
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Attain your Health & Wellness Goals in 2013! |
*Are you challenged with finding time for yourself or doing something for yourself? Do you feel that you don't have time or energy for yourself or your family? 2013 can be your year! I challenge you to take 30 minutes to discover how you can have more energy and incorporate your passion into your daily life. Schedule a Free 30 Minute Health Consultation and start uncovering small setps to take to move towards your goals. Obtain an understanding of the support you can receive to improve your health and wellbeing! Health Consultations can be done face to face or over the phone.
*Receive 10% off Health Consultation Program.
*$10.00 off each new Juice Plus+ Whole Food Nutrition Order.
Call or Email Melanie to schedule/redeem by 2/15/13 515-371-3463
February Recipes
Black Bean Burgers 1 (15oz) can no-salt black beans, rinsed and drained 1 egg (or 1tbsp Flaxseed Meal mixed with 3 tbsp water as egg free option) 1/2 yellow onion, chopped 1 cup bread crumbs (whole wheat or gluten free) 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp dried basil 1/2 tsp garlic powder Salt and Pepper to taste 1 - 2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
Directions: Put beans in bowl and mash well or place in VitaMix and blend. Add egg (or egg subsitute), onion, bread crumbs, oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well in bowl and shape into patties. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat and cook. Serve on buns, top with lettuce, tomatoes and red onion.
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Easy Beans & Greens
1 can black beans (or pinto, red, kidney—your choice) 1 bunch collard greens (or kale, spinach—your choice)your favorite toppings, such as salsa, avocado or guacamole and sour cream
Directions: In a medium saucepan, heat drained beans. Add your favorite seasonings, if desired. Fill a separate medium saucepan with 1-2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Wash and chop greens (you can use the stems, too) and add to boiling
water. Cook for 2-3 minutes until greens are bright green and tender. Drain off water. On a plate, arrange a portion of the greens, top with a portion of the beans and finish with toppings of your choice.
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Melanie is a Holistic Health Coach and the owner of Food 4 Thought. She believes that the mind, body and soul are all interconnected to create overall health and wellness. As a mom of 2, Melanie understands that the demands of family, working outside of the home, fulfilling personal goals, and maintaining optimal health can be challenging and a delicate balance. As a result, she has taken a strong interest in empowering, supporting, and educating moms, families, and expectant moms (or anyone at any stage of their life) to attain health and wellness goals along with life balance. Melanie's passion is to provide individualized health coaching support along with health and wellness group classes. Melanie is also the Nutrition and Wellness Coordinator for Willowsong
Midwifery Care's Healing Passages Birth and Wellness Center.
For ongoing information, join Melanie on:
Food 4 Thought website Blog Facebook Page
Forward to a Friend! It’s such a pleasure to help those closest to us become happier and healthier. Please forward this newsletter to friends, family members or colleagues who might be interested and inspired by it. |
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