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The Food You Eat Nourishes The Thoughts You Think..And Thoughts Nourish Your Life!
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The world belongs to those with the most energy.
-Alexis de Tocqueville
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Snack Attack!
There’s no denying that everyone, at one time or another, has had a snack attack. Views on snacking differ. Some feel that snacking is bad and that eating between meals leads to weight gain. Others believe that eating many small meals and snacks throughout the day is healthy for maintaining energy levels and optimal weight. If there were one way of snacking that was right for everyone, we would all be doing it!
To alleviate snack attack guilt, try to understand why you are snacking and what snacks work best for your body. Perhaps you snack because your daily diet is missing nutrition, or because you are eating too little at meals. You might be snacking to soothe jangled nerves when you are emotional, or to entertain yourself when you are bored. Whatever your reason, acknowledge it and start thinking about how to create a life that is nourishing and truly satisfying.
Although snacks are no substitute for loving your life, they can be great energy boosters. Many convenient snack foods are highly processed and full of chemicals, additives, damaging fats and refined sugars. When a snack attack hits you, try foods that are filling and satisfying, but also nutritious. Here are some tips:
- Snack on things that don’t come in a plastic wrapper or a box, like fresh fruit, leftover vegetables or rice cakes with almond butter and fruit spread.
- Make your own signature trail mix, organic hot chocolate made with almond milk sweetened with agave nectar, or blue corn chips with hummus.
You can also try “upgrading”:
- If you are craving something crunchy, upgrade from potato chips to raw carrots, apples or whole grain crackers.
- If you are craving a candy bar, upgrade to a handful of nuts and dried fruit.
- Instead of a cup of coffee, upgrade to green tea.
Instead of ice cream, upgrade to applesauce with cinnamon.
Upgraded snacks are high in nutrition and give you a greater sense of satiety and satisfaction; you won’t feel physically or psychologically deprived, and you’ll have plenty of energy to sustain your activities for hours.
Snacking is enjoyable and there is a wide variety of healthful goodies for whatever you’re craving, be it sweet, crunchy, salty, creamy or spicy. Dive in, be creative and enjoy your snack attack.
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Food Focus: Fruit
A healthy lifestyle is the key to longevity, optimum weight, abundant energy and balance. By using fruit to satisfy our taste for sweetness, we can leave behind the use of chemical, processed and refined sweeteners.
Fruits are easy to digest, are cleansing and cooling and are great for those who are overstressed and overheated from excessive mental strain or hot climates. Fruits are filled with fiber and liver stimulants, which act as natural, gentle laxatives. Whenever possible, buy fresh, locally grown fruit as opposed to imported fruits shipped from far-off places. This keeps you eating in season, and more in harmony with your environment and climate.
Eating raw fruit in summer months is highly cooling, while baking it in the winter months neutralizes the cooling effect. Fruit in the form of juice is a great choice for cleansing the body, but be aware that juice rapidly raises blood sugar levels, leading to an energy crash soon after. Frozen, whole, puréed or juiced fruit can make great summertime cool-down treats. Try frozen grapes, banana-coconut smoothie popsicles or lime juice ice-cubes in iced tea!
Whether you are having fresh fruit for a light early morning breakfast, a midday snack or evening treat, enjoy nature's sweetness and whenever possible buy organic. Here are a few summer fruits and their health benefits:
Apricots: Great for lung conditions and asthma; used to help treat anemia due to their high copper and cobalt content.
Bananas: Help to lubricate the intestines, treat ulcers, detoxify the body and manage sugar cravings; are rich in potassium (which helps hypertension).
Cherries: Slightly warming in nature; increase overall body energy, remedy arthritis and rheumatism and are rich in iron, which improves the blood.
Grapefruits: Treat poor digestion, increase appetite during pregnancy, alleviate intestinal gas and reduce mucus conditions of the lungs.
Papayas: Tone the stomach, act as digestive aid, moisten the lungs and alleviate coughing; contain carpaine, an anti-tumor compound.
Raspberries: Benefit the liver and kidneys, cleanse blood of toxins, regulate menstrual cycles, treat anemia and can promote labor at childbirth.
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| Upcoming Classes |
Yummy Homemade Snacks & Treats for Kids, Adults, and Families on the Go!
May 9th 6:30-8:00pm
Location: The Village Learning Centre
733 19th Street, DM
Sign Up/Get More
Details!
Superfoods & Smoothies for Super Health!
May 23rd 6:30-7:45pm
Location: Iowa Family Chiropractic
9755 University Ave. Clive IA
Sign Up/Get More Details! |
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| Attain your Health & Wellness Goals in 2013! |
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*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, incorporate your passion into your daily life, and so much more. 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.
Contact Melanie at 515-371-3463/ mjs0818@gmail.com.
June Recipes
Fruit Nut Smoothie
Prep time: 5 minutes
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
1 banana
1 cup soy or rice milk
1 cup berries
1 cup diced melon
1/2 cup almonds
Directions
Mix in blender for 1-2 minutes and serve.
Note: You can add other ingredients for added nutrition such as a spoonful of bee pollen, coconut oil, flax seed oil, spirulina powder or a scoop of protein powder.
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Looking for an easy way to consume a wider variety and number of fruits and vegetables? Interested in learning the benefits of whole food nutrition and understanding the result of 3rd party independent research studies? Check out Juice Plus+
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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 and families (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 or group 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 Mindful Living MeetUp Group
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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