Happy Thanksgiving!!

Good morning everyone. i'm up bright and early preparing some fabulous raw dishes for our thanksgiving feast. i want everyone to experience what this "raw food" stuff is all about. even if my family eats some of the typical cooked thanksgiving food, they will still benefit from having more raw foods with their cooked foods. remember, any time you eat cooked food always try to eat raw food before or with it to increase the enzymes coming from the food and help digestion.

last saturday was a fabulous day filled with wonderful wellness events. i started my day with my favorite yoga class in town at try yoga taught by shannon. my yoga classes truly balance me . days i don't go to the yoga studio i do my own practice at home but it is just not the same. i love the energy from class. next, i conducted my "basics of holistic nutrition workshop" at balance studio in bethesda. i provided a variety of raw food treats for everyone to experience. i love doing this workshop because it really opens peoples eyes to how much food contributes to ones wellness- and in so many different ways. next, i was on to my raw catering event. i catered an open house for a gyrotonic studio in DC called elements. it was fabulous!!! many of the attendees had never tried "raw foods" and they were excited to learn that not only are they delicious but they are extremely nutritious. many of the moms were excited to learn that everything is wheat/gluten and dairy free too. here are some of the items i served:

Flax Crackers

Red peppers, zucchini, red onion, agave nectar, lemon juice, garlic,

celtic sea salt, whole flaxseeds, ground flaxseeds

Mineral Crisps

Pumpkin seeds, black sesame seeds, white sesame seeds,

golden flax seeds, garlic, onion, dulce flakes, sea salt

Kale Coleslaw

Dressing: orange juice, miso, flaxseed oil, agave nectar, lemon juice, onion powder,

ground flaxseeds, garlic, powdered mustard

Salad: kale, cabbage, tomato, red onion, cayenne, celtic sea salt

Zucchini Hummus

Zucchini, lemon juice, flaxseed oil, garlic, paprika,

celtic sea salt, cumin, cayenne, raw tahini, sesame seeds

Sundried Tomato Almond Cheese

Almonds, light miso, sundried tomato, italian herbs, garlic, celtic sea salt

Herbed Almond Cheese

Almonds, light miso, cilantro, garlic, scallions, celtic sea salt

Raw goji Bites

Date paste, sunflower seeds, raisens, apricots, cacao powder,

sesame seeds, coconut, goji powder, sunflower meal

have a wonderful thanksgiving and enjoy every bite!!

be well, kelly

DC Greenfestival

I love the greenfestival!!

it is that time of year again- time for the annual greenfestival which is so energizing. this year it was bigger than ever. what i love the most about greenfestival is that there are thousands of like-minded people, in one room, who are passionate about becoming more green, sustainable and living eco-friendly. you can find anything and everything you could possibly want green including: home remodeling, architecture, bags, clothing, jewelry, food, books, magazines and more. they have an amazing kid section too to get the kids learning about living green young. i took mason and he had sooo much fun. we colored, painted and even decorated a leaf to be placed on a "growing tree"- all using recycled paper. then we explored the discovery jungle truck which transported you to the rain forest. he also enjoyed all the truly healthy food they had to offer- both free and for cost.

If you are not a member of co-op america i suggest you go on-line and sign-up right now. i'm a member of co-op america which is one of the main sponsors of the event. if you sign up to be a member at greenfest it is free. Co-op america provides you with everything you need to live a sustainable life including local green businesses that follow green practices and green investing.

for anyone interested in green living just get started small:
-use reusable bags- keep them in your car so you don't forget them
-recycle
-compost
-eat green: buy local organic foods from local farmers, shop at local farmer's markets
-use reusable water bottles: for mason i use born free and klean kanteen
-klean kanteen bottles are great for adults too.
-use green light bulbs
-ride your bike or walk more and drive less
gradually you can step up and make larger changes
-remodeling your home in an eco-friendly, sustainable way
-buying an eco-friendly car

with the holidays coming a great idea is to buy eco-friendly green gifts for your family, friends and everyone you want to show appreciation to. Some examples include:
-jewelry
-clothing
-books
-lotions and beauty products
-donations to organizations you know they are passionate about
-an eco-trip or adventure

live green everyday and make greenfestival part of your yearly schedule.

Live Green and Thrive!!!


kelly

Tai Chi

good morning everyone,

I had a wonderful wellness weekend. friday and saturday i attended a workshop on the fundamentals of tai chi. Tai chi is practiced by millions for its health and longevity benefits. tai chi is a soft martial art and involves slowly moving from one form to another (there are faster styles too). the goal of the course i took was to make tai chi accessible to everyone. it is really something that everyone can do. Tai chi has applications for balance dysfunction, orthopedic and neurological rehabilitation, pain management, cardiovascular and respiratory disorders as well as individuals with chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. it can be taught individually or in groups and used in a variety of settings.
One thing that i loved about it is that it forces you to slow down and breathe. your mind and your body need to participate in every aspect of the practice. some of the guidelines for tai chi include: mindfulness, postural alignment, breath awareness, active relaxation, slow movement, weight separation and integrated movement.
If you are interested in taking local classes, the citydance center at strathmore offers them every sunday. register at www.citydance.net or call 301-581-5204.

Move Well and Enjoy,

kelly

Raw Vegan Chef and Instructor

hello everyone, i'm very happy to say that i graduated from The Living Light Culinary Institute this past weekend. i am now a certified raw vegan chef and instructor. this was an amazing program that taught me more than i ever expected. i was a foodie before going to Living Light and i'm even more of one now. i just love creating nutritious and delicious meals and snacks for everyone to enjoy. i will show the world that food does not have to be bland or unsatisfying to be healthy. one of the keys is taking the time to prepare and make your food with love. i love taking my time at the market to pick out the best of each piece of produce i buy. of course you should always buy organic but remember to also buy local and seasonal produce. another important thing to remember is to eat food when it is ripe. ripe produce has the most enzymes and will digest the best.

in the near future i will be offering a variety of classes to teach you how to prepare these amazing foods for yourself. in addition, i will offer classes focused on the science of raw food nutrition and why you should choose not only to be a vegan but why a raw vegan. i'll keep you updated.

eat well, kelly

Back To Living Light

hi everyone, i'm back at The Living Light Culinary Institute in California. i'm here finishing my raw vegan food chef and instructor certification program. i love being surrounded by like-minded individuals and sharing their experiences and ideas. every morning we are filled with E-3 live, green smoothies and green juice. I love having my green juice made for me everyday. typically at home i make and drink at least 50 oz a day-having it made for me is fabulous. today we made a fantastic Not-Tuna Salad made with almonds, sunflower seeds and many of the veggies and seasonings that are typically in a traditional tuna salad. some of the benefits of eating this compared to the typical tuna salad are that you are not getting all the mercury in tuna and the not-tuna salad is more alkaline compared to the acid ash tuna and mayonnaise in typical tuna salad. For lunch we had a feast of greens, sprouts, raw sauerkraut, marinated onions, not-tuna salad, pizza flax crackers and a yummy dijon dressing. in our afternoon lab we experimented with blooming wild rice to make an asian-style wild rice. then we crafted vietnamese salad rolls with a variety of cabbages and south east asian sauces- soooo yummy. i loved the wild rice with the sauces!! this will be a great transition dish for many people who are transitioning from typical cooked food to raw foods. look out for more about my raw food journey.

be well, kelly

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Nutritional Tip -- Get your greens!

One of the keys to living a healthy, vibrant life is providing your body with all the nutrients it needs to function at its best. In observation of breast cancer research month, it's important to recognize that current research shows that eating certain foods can decrease your risk of breast and all other cancers. There are a few simple things you can do to optimize the cancer-fighting potential of your plate.

First, try to increase the amount of organic, raw, whole fruits and vegetables in your diet. Second, be sure you are eating a wide variety of these fruits and vegetables. Eat from the rainbow! You'll know you are getting a diverse selection of phytonutrients and antioxidants when your plate is filled with a selection of colors.

Easier said then done, you say?

Here are two simple ways to increase the amount of health-boosting fruits and veggies in your daily eating plan:

Make fruit be the first thing you eat every day and make a smoothie that is filled with fruit to enjoy throughout the morning. Smoothies are great because you can take them on-the-go. Try to vary the fruits you use, including strawberries, blueberries, goji berries, mangos, papaya and anything else you love. One caveat: if you eat melon, try not to mix it with other fruits because it does not digest well when combined.

To increase the amount of veggies you eat daily, be certain to eat a large colorful salad every day. There are so many greens to choose from to keep things interesting, such as arugala, watercress, cilantro and romaine. Pile on the sprouts: clover, alfalfa, and broccoli. Add in chopped raw veggies like red pepper, carrots, cucumbers and shredded beets. Sprinkle on some sea vegetables such as kelp, nori or dulse for a mineral boost. Add some good fats such as avocado or olives and make a simple dressing of hemp oil or flax oil with lemon juice and herbs of your choice. Et voila! A nutrient-dense meal that puts you well on your way to getting your 5+ servings of vegetables a day.

By making these two simple changes in your daily eating schedule, you can help prevent a variety of health issues and keep your body and mind functioning at their best. Keep things simple and your body and mind will thank you.

Be Well, Kelly

Eat Simple

hello everyone,
i'm back from my amazing experience at Living Light. i will be returning in october to finish the chef program. i'm so excited. i love learning about new flavor combinations and raw food preparation techniques. i've been experimenting with many different foods since returning. this past weekend i made a fabulous raw pizza that included a crust made out of soaked and sprouted nuts and seeds and veggies, a raw pizza sauce made with tomatoes, veggies, garlic, onions, sun-dried tomatoes and more and finally a raw almond cheese. i then layered on a variety of sprouts and veggies. it was fantastic. my son loved it too.

as much as i love learning how to make many of the raw gourmet foods (and i love testing them all out) the important thing to remember is to still keep your food intake simple. be mindful of food combining and how you feel when you eat certain foods. raw gourmet foods can be very heavy and filled with nuts and seeds. you don't want to overindulge on nuts and seeds. be sure to get plenty of organic raw whole fruits and veggies into your diet. Drink lots of filtered water and hydrating foods. eat fruit and green smoothies and fill them with superfoods. drink green juices everyday. do a shot of wheatgrass or E-3 live everyday. eat a large salad filled with a variety of greens, sprouts and colorful veggies everyday.

Eat simple and your mind and body will thank you for it.

i'm currently 5 months pregnant and have just amazing energy. i love being pregnant and knowing that i'm fueling my baby with the most amazing foods and nutrients. i'm back to my daily cardio, weekly yoga classes and regular pilates and gyrotonic exercise workouts. it feels so good to keep the body moving.

Daily foods/wellness today:

woke around 5
water and elliptical for 30 mins
home yoga practice
water with supplements: pre/post natal, b-complex, iron
shot of E-3 live
shake: coconut water, berries, goji berries, pure synergy, chlorella, acai powder, romaine lettuce and kale
green juice: celery, cucumber, kale, romaine, lemon and apple 40 oz
water and supplements: DHA, D3, MSM
gyrotonic exercise workout at studio
raw veggies: carrots and red pepper
large green salad: variety of greens, variety of sprouts, kelp, tomato, raw sauerkraut, 1/2 avocado, kelp, nori, dressing of hemp oil and lemon juice, and a few raw crackers made with soaked and sprouted nuts and seeds and veggies
water

be well, kelly

Living Light Culinary Adventure

hello everyone,

i'm currently in California having an amazing experience at the Living Light Culinary Institute. It is the premier school that focuses on raw vegan culinary arts and sciences. i arrived at san fran airport on friday where a classmate picked me up. before leaving for our 4 hour drive up the northern california coast we stopped at Cafe Gratitude which is a raw vegan restaurant. i was in heaven!!! they offer everything from fresh green juices with superfoods, shakes, lettuce wraps, veggie sushi rolls to organic raw desserts that are just amazing. they offer everything i make at home but it was already made for me. the best part of eating raw is that after you eat you still feel wonderful and full of energy. you are ingesting loads of enzymes that help to prevent the aging process. you know that the foods you have just put into your body are the best foods you could possibly eat and are loaded with vitamins, minerals, enzymes and more.

At Cafe Gratitude i enjoyed a large juice made of greens, beet, ginger and lemon. WOW was it loaded with ginger. we got our meals to go so we could enjoy them on our journey. we stopped half way through out trip in a wonderful little wine country town to enjoy our raw vegan meals from Cafe Gratitude. i enjoyed an amazing salad loaded with veggies and avocado mixed with ginger tahini dressing and raw hummus.

As you know i've been eating primarily raw for a long time now and i can't imagine eating any other way. i just feel vibrant and energetic. Remember it is ok to eat the occasional lightly cooked food because some foods are easier to digest and the nutrients assimilate in the body better when lightly heated/cooked (but only a very few foods). in general the key is to just eat more raw foods!!!

i'm attending this school so i can learn as much as possible about the culinary techniques that make the raw foods not only taste amazingly delicious but also the most nutrient-dense as possible. i love to learn new things and if can learn a few new techniques i will be happy.

As with any type of eating style you have to be careful to keep it simple. it is easy to overindulge in raw foods which is still not optimal for your body and mind. here at living light i continue to practice what i preach. my typical day includes:

waking approximately 6 am
walking along the coast
water and vitamins
shot of E3 live
fruit/green smoothie: variety of fruits, vitamineral green
green juice: kale, cucumber, celery, apple, lemon, ginger
late lunch/dinner options: salad greens, sprouts, raw veggies, nut cheeses, flax crackers and more.
another green juice
walking along the coast

today we sampled an amazing carrot, apple cake with cashew cream sauce that was just amazing!!! i don't often indulge in even raw desserts but this one was light and delicious. it could be a morning energy bar too.

be well, kelly

Arugala Beet Salad

Here is a great new arugala salad recipe.

Ingredients:

Use a combination of the pre-washed herb mix and arugala mix (more of the arugala)
-if you love arugala you can just use that too
Steamed beets
-peel the beets and chop into bite size pieces. place in steamer and steam till soft.
-sprinkle with small amount celtic sea salt
Orange slices
-i use the juice of half an orange for the dressing for this salad and then use slices of the rest of the orange for the salad
Sundried Tomatoes- soaked and then chopped
Walnuts


Dressing: hemp oil, lemon juice (1/2 lemon), orange juice (1/2 orange), 1 tbsp of water from soaked sundried tomatoes, 1/2 tsp agave nectar (optional), 1/4 tsp kelp, small sprinkle of celtic sea salt and pepper
-whisk all the above ingredients and pour onto salad

Mix all the above ingredients together with the dressing and enjoy every bite!!

kelly

My favorite Gazpacho recipe!!!

As summer comes to an end it’s time to make use of all the perfectly ripe tomatoes and fresh produce from your garden or the local farmer’s market. On a hot summer day refresh and reenergize with a delicious and nutritious bowl of Gazpacho soup. Gazpacho is filled with nutrients and antioxidants such as chromium, copper, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, vit B6, vit C, vit K, pantothenic acid, potassium vit A and vit E. The olive oil provides you with healthy fats that are great for your inner health and outer beauty. The primary fatty acids in olive oil are oleic, linoleic and linolenic acid. Oleic acid is a beautifying monounsaturated fat and makes up 55-85% of the oil. The cilantro will provide you with powerful antimicrobial protection in addition to numerous phytonutrients with antioxidant power. The cayenne pepper not only adds heat but also has anti-inflammatory and pain relief properties that may benefit digestive health. Slice some avocado on top of this amazingly delicious soup and you will add even more heart-healthy and skin beautifying monounsaturated fats. I also love to sprinkle the sea vegetable kelp on this soup to increase its mineral content. Take the time to make this simple and easy recipe and enjoy every bite.

3 ripe tomatoes

¼ cup diced celery

¼ cup diced cucumber

3 tbsp diced red bell pepper

2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup thinly sliced radishes

3 tbsp minced fresh cilantro

-I add more cilantro because I love the flavor

1 tbsp red onion

1 ½ tsp extra-virgin olive oil

½ tsp celtic or Himalayan sea salt

Pinch of cayenne

Freshly ground pepper

½ ripe avocado, diced

-Seed the tomatoes and strain the juice. Place the juice in blender or food processor.

-Finely dice the tomatoes.

-Place tomatoe juice, ¼ cup filtered water, 1 of the tomatoes, half the celery, half the cucumber, half the bell pepper and all of the lemon juice in the blender or food processor and process until smooth.

-Pour into a bowl and stir in the remaining tomatoes, celery, cucumber and bell pepper and all of the radishes, cilantro, red onion, olive oil, sea salt, cayenne, and black pepper.

-Just before serving slice avocado on top and sprinkle with kelp. Add more cilantro if you would like.

I love to eat this with a few flax crackers or mineral crisps. Mineral crisps are an incredibly delicious and nutritious crunchy snack made with pumpkin, sesame, flax seeds and a little sea salt. You can get both flax crackers and mineral crisps at My Organic Market or www.maukfamilyfarms.com.

Enjoy and Be Well,

Kelly

Get Fresh!!!

Get Fresh is a fabulous magazine all about raw living. It's for people passionate about pure food, health and living life to the full. I've subscribed to it for a while now but i just saw it at Whole Foods today. i was so happy to see this. I see this as another example of how raw living is making its way into mainstream. So next time you are at whole foods check out the magazine, "Get Fresh."

i suggest that everyone keep a food/wellness journal. we all need to pay careful attention be certain we get all of our needed nutrients, minerals, vitamins etc. i pay very close attention to my daily food/water/fluid intake and make sure i'm getting what i need for myself and for my new little one. i keep my journal on my nightstand and every night before bed i write down waht i ate that day and what i plan to eat the next day. it helps me stay organized and helps me see what changes i can make to make the next day even more nutrient-dense.

Try this natural skin moisturizer that i've been using regularly:
Mix avocado and manuka honey together, apply to your face and leave on 15-30 minutes. The avocado delivers moisture to the skin due to its high fatty acid content. The honey is loaded with powerful antioxidants which work as a humectant and help the skin retain moisture.

BE WELL, kelly

Summer Wellness

hello everyone,

Sorry for the delay in writing but so many wonderful things have been going on that my writing has received less attention. i love the summer season; eating meals outside, spending as much time as possible in nature (when its not too hot), family beach vacations and weekend trips. One of my favorite activities of the summer is going to the market in the morning and buying fresh seasonal ingredients to make delicious and nutritious meals for the day. i've been loving making wraps lately with various fresh ingredients and dipping them in various interesting raw sauces.

no matter what style of eating you choose the key to eating well is getting your food from the best sources and making sure your food is of the healthiest and highest quality. try to get most of your food from local organic sources.

i have to tell you about a new food find at my organic market. they have these little raw gogi cacao energy bites that are just fabulous. i love them as a snack during my work days when i'm going from client to client. Some of the ingredients include: dates, cacao, gogi berries, raisens, sunflower seeds, coconut and so many more nutrient-dense foods.

I continue to focus on my own wellness by eating well, exercising daily and sleeping more (i'm currently 3 months pregnant). I just feel that at this time sleep is even more important. i've been sleeping 8-10 hours per night. it feels wonderful. my body and mind need time to rest and rejuvenate. i've been doing my own yoga practice at home because i can not tolerate the heat in my normal yoga class. My main cardio at this time is walking- walking in nature is the best. Mason keeps me very active too. Running and playing with him all day allows me to sleep really well at night.

If you have not already checked out the new Lulu store in bethesda you have got to check it out. It opened in June and is just amazing. They chose me to be an ambassador for the bethesda store which means i am a member of the local community that represents what they are about. When you go in the store you will see pictures of the local ambassadors on the walls. Just look up and you can't miss me. Over the next year i will be doing various events with them at their store and around the community. One event we will probably do in October is a raw vegan food demo. i'll keep you updated on the details. They also have a variety of free classes that they offer regularly at the store including free yoga classes. check it out!!

In September i will be attending the Living Light Culinary School in California. I'm very excited about this. I can't wait to learn more healthy culinary techniques and share them with all of my clients, patients, friends and family. I also look forward to exploring northern california.

that's it for now. Enjoy the rest of the summer!!!

Be Well, Kelly

Update: Yoga, Juicing and Corporate Wellness

hello everyone,

So much has been going on since i wrote last. i've done a few different yoga workshops which have helped me to continue to progress my personal yoga practice. i believe that we should all be life-long students and i love being a student and learning new things. the key is to keep a "child's mind". be open to new things every day. Annie Carpenter from California was in DC a few weeks ago and she conducted three days worth of fabulous workshops. if you get a chance to take a workshop with her- do it. she is very knowledgeable and is able to really get you to understand different body sensations and movements. this past weekend i did a two day workshop with stan andrzejewski who is a physical therapist and yoga practitioner located in Baltimore, Maryland. it was great to get his viewpoint on the use of yoga as physical therapy. I love spending an entire weekend doing yoga and getting deeper into my mind, body and spirit.

I continue to juice every single day. i'm addicted. i honestly can't imagine a day without my juice. i drink 32ozs per day of my juice of choice which has been:

6-7 stalks of celery
2 cucumbers
5 carrots
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch parsley
a few handfuls spinach
a few handfuls chard
a few handfuls kale

I eliminated the apple to decrease the sugar and i simplified it compared to what i was doing before. this juice tastes fabulous and is light and refreshing. i do add apple for my son who drinks this out of his sippy cup.

for dinners lately i've been doing a one bowl mixture of:

chopped cucumbers (without seeds)
a variety of greens (watercress, herbed mix, baby greens, arugala etc)
a variety of sprouts (clover, radish, alfalfa, broccoli, arugala etc)
sundried tomatos (sometimes- it gives it a fabulous taste)
1/2 avocado
sprinkle of kelp and other sea veggies (nori, dulse)
each night i do a different nut butter (tahini, hemp, sunflower or pumpkin seed butter)
the dressing is: hemp oil, apple cider vinegar and a little of the sundried tomato water


This is a wonderful dinner that gives me good fats and protein and i don't feel too full afterwards. i hate the feeling of eating too much. i like feeling light and energized after eating. remember, you are eating for energy!!

I conducted two new corporate wellness programs last week. one was focused on holistic nutrition and practical ways to incorporate holistic nutrition into your daily life. the other program was focused on balanced living and how to create daily rituals that will help you balance all your primary foods (all your passions in life). both were successful and well received. i love conducting workshops and getting the word out about healthy living to groups of people.

April 19th i celebrated my 32nd b-day and my son mason celebrated his 18 month b-day. B-days to me are a time to celebrate everything you accomplished and reassess goals and life for the future. however, one of the most important things i do is set the intention to focus on the present. to be more mindful and live in the moment. to stop multi-tasking and focus on the activity at hand. i'm currently reading "the power of now" by eckhart tolle (can you believe i have not read this yet). remember to inundate yourself with everything you can on the subjects you love.

Now that spring is here remember to enjoy the variety of amazing fruits and vegetables coming into season. Chew each bite thoroughly and enjoy. shop at organic markets and buy from local farmers.

Be Well,
kelly

Yoga Day

I had a fabulous day of yoga yesterday. As most of you know i have an amazing passion for my yoga practice. if i don't practice daily i just don't feel the same. Yesterday, my wonderful husband watched my son Mason so i could do a yoga class and two yoga workshops. i started the day with my normal sunday vinyasa flow class in a heated room. i love the heated room. i arrive early to allow my body to take in the heat and prepare it for my yoga pratice. my instructor did a wonderful flow series that left me feeling energized and renewed. between this class and my first yoga workshop of the day i drank my green juice (wheatgrass and E-3 live blue green algae) and ate a little bee pollen for nutrients and energy. the first yoga workshop i did was a hip opener workshop. one of the goals of my movement practice is to open my hips. hip openers not only release tension and physical stress in the hips but can truly help you to open up and release mental and emotional stress. they are a great practice for most people. next i did a pranayama (breathing) workshop. I love slowing down and focusing on my breath for two hours. with a 17 month old i rarely get to do this. i practice pranayama regularly but not for two hours straight.
as much as i love being a teacher i also love being a student. i will be a student for life. being a student for life makes me a better teacher.
Take the opportunity to do various workshops and experience different instructors and techniques.

Live each day with a beginner's mind. See everything through a child's eyes.

kelly

What's New

Sorry about the time away from blogging. I'm back and ready to catch you up. I love this time of year. Spring is coming and we have more daylight hours to enjoy. I moved my studio/practice to Bethesda, Maryland at Balance Studio. It is a wonderful place to practice. It is open and fresh and everyone has great energy. Plus, it is two minutes from my house. I lease a private office and have access to all the pilates and gyrotonic apparatus and the open yoga rooms. It is perfect for my holistic approach to practicing.

In regards to my own wellness i've been working on simplifying my own daily food intake. Digestion and assimilation are key to long-term health. the more pure and simple your food and meals the better. i've been paying more attention to specific combinations and following the food combination rules more. i have experimented with combinations and know what works best for me. when i keep it simple i feel better and have increased energy. Lately this is what i've been doing:
wake
b-complex, MSM
elliptical intervals 30 minutes
yoga/stretching
set intensions for the day
2 oz wheatgrass, approx 1/4 cup E-3 live
get ready
mono fruit (mixing different types of fruit does not work for me): i alternate the type of fruit each day- papaya, apples/pears, berries, watermelon
DHA, pre/post natal multi, D3
probiotic, digestive enzymes
green juice- approximately 2 16 oz servings made of: celery, cucumber, spinach, cilantro, kale, swiss chard, parsely (i've been only doing greens and not mixing carrot or apple or adding too much stuff. This works better for me. I feel cleaner and more energized).
last meal options:
-green salad and sprouts with apple cider vinegar and hemp oil wrapped in nori roll with a few of lydia's organic crackers (somtimes i add avocado and sundried tom to the salad)
-nori roll with sundried tomato pate, sprouts, cucumber (these are sooo yummy) (sometimes i add avocado)
-nori/lettuce roll with sundred tomato pate, tahini, sprouts, cucumber
finish eating by 6 ( i used to make it a rule to finish eating by 7 but i feel better if i do it earlier so i changed this to 6). This gives my body time to digest food before it is time to rest and rejuvate with a great night sleep.
no tv before bed. i would occasionally click the tv on prior to going to bed. i have found if i get into bed, read briefly on a topic that i thoroughly love and do some deep-breathing exercises i get a better night's rest.

i'm still working on simplifying my evening meal. I've been feeling great with my new daily rituals. i also do yoga classes, pilates and gyrotonic exercise each day. nice days i go for long walks/hikes with mason or play outside with him. i try to get outside as much as possible. i really look forward to spring/summer and being able to be outside all day!!!

have a wonderful day. kelly

Healthy Crackers and Nut Butters

For those of you who love the crisp sensation of crackers but don't eat them because most crackers are not very nutritious, well I have a few wonderful choices for you. In the raw food world there are many types of dehydrated crackers that you can eat as plane crackers, use as an open-faced sandwich or just spread something on them and enjoy.

Two of my favorite dehydrated crackers, or this company calls them "crisps", are made by Mauk Family Farms (www.maukfamilyfarms.com). They are called "Mineral Crisps" and "Breakfast Crisps". Check out the website for more details but the minerals crisps are made of dehydrated pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds and more. The Breakfast Crisps are made of dehydrated buckwheat, flax and include raisens and gogi berries. Both crisps are extremely nutritious. My favorite way to eat the minerals crisps is to spread either pumpkin seed butter or tahini on them and enjoy every bite. My favorite way to eat the breakfast crisps is to spread them with almond butter or cashew/brazil nut butter. I get these crackers at My Organic Market.

When you are purchasing nut butters be sure they are truly raw organic nut butters. Some labels can say raw but not truly be raw. You can purchase truly raw nut butters from www.naturalzing.com or www.rejuvenative.com. Two good brands are artisana and rejuvenative foods. Whole Foods carries some of the rejuvenative nut butters. They are expensive but well worth the price. Remember, your health is priceless.

Another brand of crackers that I love are lydia's organics. They make not only fabulous crackers but also great raw granola and breakfast cereals. My favorite crackers are the sunflower seed bread, luna nori crackers and green crackers. I love spreading tahini and pumpkin seed butter on these too. You can sprinkle a little kelp on top for some added iodine. Check out www.lydiasorganics.com or www.naturalzing.com.

To make an open-faced sandwich on any of these crackers just take the cracker of choice and spread it with spread of choice (my favorite is tahini) and then layer on the fun stuff. My favorite layers are sprouts, sun-dried tomatoes, avocado and a sprinkle of kelp!!!

Here are my wellness rituals from yesterday:

woke around 6:30
warm water with lemon and msm powder
took my b-complex and D3 supplements
elliptical 30 minutes
2 oranges
cup of green tea: I've been drinking warm tea lately. I switch between green tea, yerba mate and yogi detox tea
9am yoga class: one and a half hours of vinyasa flow yoga- i love this class!!!! if i could do a full class of yoga every morning before i start my day i would.
12pm large energizing shake: raspberries, blueberries, gogi berries, my green juice (already prepared with kale, chard, cilantro, parsley, apple, lemon, carrots, E3 live, wheatgrass), coconut water, pure synergy green powder, maca powder, hemp protein powder, acai powder, bee pollen, mesquite powder and a date. This shake is such a nutritious treat.
supplements: dha, biotin, multi-pre/post natal
4:30 salad: mixture of greens, sprouts- alfalfla, arugala, clover, avocado, kelp with dressing of hemp oil and apple cider vinegar
5:30 mineral crisps with tahini spread
8-9 relaxed before going to sleep

Enjoy your crunchy new crackers!!! kelly

What a Fabulous Day!!

It was the most beautiful day today (sunday jan 6th). I woke early 4:00 am just before Mason woke at 4:30. I got 30 minutes on my elliptical machine in before he woke. I always feel better when I get movement in first thing in the morning. Every saturday and sunday I do a yoga class and this morning's class was particularly great. One movement just flowed into the next and my breath effortlessly linked each movement. I felt strong and powerful. My afternoon was spent playing outside with Mason at the playground. We kicked the soccer ball around with all the other kids. We jumped in and out of the leaves many many many times. We ran after the dogs in the park. We went down and up the sliding board at least 20 times. I am grateful for every moment I share with him. I can't wait for spring when we can be outside like to today everyday. It is so important to spend time in nature. I do not like the cold so i tend to be in nature more in the fall, spring and summer. Today was very refreshing.

My wellness rituals today:

woke early
water, msm, b-complex, D3
elliptical 30 minutes
was going to make juice but mason woke early
ate 1 mango, 1 papaya, 2 oranges
1 1/2 hour vinyasa flow yoga class at Hot Yoga- no it is not Bikram- it is vinyasa flow yoga in a room heated to about 90 degrees.
grocery shopping
skin brushing, exfoliation, hot cold shower, tongue cleaning
shake: gogi berries, blue berries, strawberries, green powder, E-3 live, maca, mesquite, hemp protein, bee pollen, cacao
pre/post natal, dha
ate red peppers
ate nori rolls: sundried tomato pate (soaked sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds, sundried tomatos, olives, spinach, garlic, cilantro all blended up), avocado, sprouts (arugala, clover, alfalfa). I love these rolls!!

I feel refreshed and energized.

GET REGULAR MASSAGES:

Massages are beneficial in so many ways. I used to go for a massage every other week however, since having Mason I go once a month. It is my time to relax and rejuvenate. I feel an hour and a half is a good amount of time for the practitioner to get to all the body parts well. While I'm getting a massage I practice deep breathing techniques to increase the benefits for my mind and body. I recommend that everyone get some form of massage on a regular basis. It also helps to think about the body part that the practitioner is working on. I benefit most from deep tissue massage. With all the exercise and activity I do it is great to have my muscles released with deep pressure. It is important to find a practitioner who you see regularly because he/she will get to know your body allowing you to benefit even more from the work.

My wellness rituals on 1/5/07:

Slept in and woke around 8 (my husband got up with Mason)- occassionally I sleep in to allow my body and mind some extra rest. Plus, my little one is sick and I felt like I may be getting something so I wanted to stay well-rested. I rarely miss my saturday morning yoga class but this saturday I decided sleep and rest were more important.
warm water with lemon, msm
supplements- B-complex, D3
drank detox tea- herbal medicinal brand
drank yerba mate tea
I was enjoying relaxing with my teas today.
Ate 2 mangos and 3 oranges
Massage!!!- This one was given to me as a gift by a client. One of the best gifts is a gift certificate to your favorite massage therapist. Thank You!!
Salad filled with a variety of greens and sprouts, avocado, kelp and olives. Dressing of flax oil, apple cider vinegar and lemon juice.
I ate very light today to allow my body to rest. When you eat too heavy the body uses all its energy on digestion and not healing.

I received an email asking about my water intake. I drink water throughout the day. I do not drink 1 hour before eating and 1 hour after eating as it disrupts the digestion of food. I vary my water: warm water with lemon, water with msm or cucumber water. Cucumber water is my favorite. It is so clean and refreshing. Always drink as pure filtered water as possible. I'm still experimenting with the best type of water in regards to reverse osmosis, distilled etc. I'll keep you updated with what I decide.


Namaste

Staying on Track with Goals

Are you staying on track with your new year's goals? The best way to be certain that you accomplish your most important goals is to create very specific actions steps for each goal. Create daily action steps that you can take that help you reach your long term goal. Also, revisit your goal book once a week to revise goals and to remind yourself of your goals. Be sure to get support from the people around you.


Here are my wellness rituals from yesterday (1/3/07)

woke
warm water, lemon, msm
supplements: B-complex, D3
elliptical 30 minutes with intervals
yoga, stretching, breathing
while making my juice i ate: 3 oranges, cherries with bee pollen sprinkled on them
approximately 1 liter of green juice: kale, chard, cilantro, parsley, pea sprouts, cucumber, celery, carrots, apples, lemons, ginger, wheatgrass, E-3 live
supplements: whole food pre/post natal, DHA
skin brush, exfoliate, tongue scrape
to the studio to see patients and clients
workout- pilates and gyrotonic at studio
2 more liters of green juice throughout the day with a variety of superfoods: spirulina, green powder, bee pollen
30 minutes meditation/breathing at studio
ate raw tomatoes and 2 red peppers while preparing dinner for mason and me
nori salad rolls: salad rolled in nori rolls- salad made of mixed greens, alfalfa sprouts, clover sprouts, cilantro, avocado, olives, kelp, dulse- dressing: hemp oil, apple cider vinegar, miso
3 italian flavored flax seed crackers
1 cup green juice
face mask of raw honey and leave in hair conditioner by sea chi organics
bedtime at 9

i will continue to write out some of my daily wellness rituals to give you motivation and ideas for your wellness rituals.

enjoy. have a wonderful day.

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year Everyone!

I love starting a new year. I wrote all my goals for the next year and action steps for the most important ones. I love the feeling of starting new especially after I just got done doing a juicefeast detox. I feel energized and ready to focus on the things I want to accomplish this year. Remember, energy flows where attention goes. So put your attention on the things you want. Make one of your goals to have the best year ever.

My clients and patients are always inquiring about what I eat and what are my daily rituals. So this year I'm going to include some of this info in my blog. Here is what I ate today:

January 1, 2008

Woke 4:15- yes, i'm an early riser. I get up prior to my 14 month(mason) getting up so I can do my things and be ready to focus my attention on him when he wakes up.

Warm water, msm, b-complex, vit d-3

Elliptical machine 30 min

5:30 whole papaya

6:30 bowl of organic cherries

8:00 drank 1 liter greens juice: kale, swiss chard, dandelion greens, spinach, cilantro, parsley, celery, cucumber, carrot, apple, lemon, ginger, E-3 live, wheatgrass

10:00 Yoga sun salutations/Stretching/Breathwork

11:30 shake: strawberries, blueberries, cherries, gogi berries, cacao, maca, hemp protein, mesquite, bee pollen

DHA, pre/post natal vitamins

dry brushing, shower- hot/cold/hot/cold, tongue scraper

3:30 Drank ¾ liter of green juice (same as above)

5:30 raw organic tomatoes and red pepper

nori salad wrap: nori roll filled with salad made of: greens- mixed herb, cilantro and watercress, sprouts- clover and arugala, avocado, olives and kelp. Dressing: hemp oil, miso, apple cider vinegar.

6:15 ¼ liter green juice.

8pm- bedtime

Enjoy!! Namaste.