Stress

12 Days

Monday, April 9th, 2012

 

12 days until my wedding day! Just 12 days. After a 16-month engagement it’s hard to believe my wedding day is actually almost here.

 

During the last few months, adding new posts on this site has been irregular at best and lately nonexistent. In between clients and my other health coaching commitments, my days have been packed with wedding planning, especially during the last few weeks when we officially hit the homestretch. From start to the almost-finish, I’ve honestly had a blast and I know many brides might not say the same about their own experience. Mainstream media tells us that planning a wedding includes smiles, laughter and love accompanied by anxiety, tears and arguments.

 

When Ryan and I decided to celebrate this milestone in our lives with our friends and relatives, I made a resolution to myself that I was not going to let this major event consume my life. We would keep logistics as simple as possible, keep stress to a minimum and remember everyday what we were actually doing, which was making a commitment in front of our family and friends to spend the rest of our lives together. A wedding should be beautiful and magical, and I’m sure mine will be, but to me, the marriage is more important. Among other things, a wedding is a celebration, a dance party and a happy occasion so it should be fun from the early planning stages through the last dance.

 

This doesn’t mean I never felt stressed or anxious while planning my wedding. I might be a health coach, but I’m still human. I just tried to keep things in check as often as possible and to the best of my ability. I’m naturally an anxious person and I think these 5 things have helped me keep my cool these last 16 months.

 

1. Limiting/Avoiding caffeine and sugar – It doesn’t matter if it’s tea instead of coffee, or sucanat instead of raw white sugar – my body is sensitive to all of it and any food that makes my body perk up unnaturally always makes me more anxious.

 

2. Being realistic about what I can accomplish each day – I set realistic goals every morning of what I want to complete. I love making lists, but what I love even more is crossing items off of my to-do lists!

 

3. Exercise most days of the week – This is a great outlet for me for any stress I’m feeling. A Bikram yoga studio near my house offers a great deal for first-time students and I’ve been able to go to a class 2 or 3 times a week for a very reasonable price. The heat totally clears my head because all I can focus on is my breathing and keeping sweat out of my eyes. My body is exhausted but relaxed after each class. On days that I can’t find time for a 90-minute yoga class, I make sure to get to the gym for a good cardio workout, stretching and occasional weight lifting.

 

4. Following a sensible diet – I’m not spending as much time as usual creating new recipes, but I am making sure that what I am eating is still clean, whole and delicious food.

 

5. Having a good support system – My mom and I have worked together side by side from day 1 of planning. I have also leaned on my sisters, cousin and girlfriends for good ol’ fashioned venting as well as guidance and advice for many things ranging from wedding bands, tuxedos and hairstyles.

 

So what does a soon-to-be bride eat? Usually a big bowl of greens, vegetables and beans topped with a homemade sauce, hummus or avocado. My family fondly nicknames these bowls of wholesome goodness “bachelorette bowls”. Like I said, simple but clean and naturally delicious food.

 

 

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (compliments of http://www.myrakornfeld.com/)

Ingredients:

2 heads garlic

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil plus a teaspoon for the garlic

4 roasted red ball peppers or 2 cups roasted peppers from a jar

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

3/4 teaspoon

salt

black pepper

cayenne

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375  degrees. Peel away the excess paper on the garlic. Cut the top fifth off the heads and place garlic on top of a piece of foil. Drizzle about a teaspoon of oil and a pinch of salt over the exposed area. Cover with foil and bake for about 40 minutes, until softened. Let cool a few minutes. Squeeze the garlic into a blender jar.

Add the peppers to the garlic along with 1/4 cup of the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and a pinch cayenne.

Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.

Place in a small pot and heat just until warm.

Delicious on top of greens and other steamed veggies.

 


 

Mini Banana Muffins (sugar free)

Ingredients:

2 cups almond flour

3 very ripe bananas

2 eggs

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease mini muffin pan

Combine all ingredients and use electric mixer to blend thoroughly

Use large spoon to fill each muffin space ¾ of the way full

Bake for 30 minutes until tops are brown and firm

Cool before removing

 

Simple steamed veggies

 

Fresh vegetable juice

 

Life will be back to normal in May. Until then, wishing you all a wonderful start to Spring! Thanks for your patience and love.

Posted in Baking, Caffeine, Cooking Basics, Health Coaching, Self Care, Spring, Stress, Sugar, Yoga | No Comments »

Slow Cooker Chili

Friday, October 7th, 2011

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I probably should have checked the weather forecast before I went to the grocery store this week, but when the temperature seriously dropped last week, I couldn’t get the idea of making chili out of my mind. There are several quintessential meals when it comes to my favorite season and chili is definitely one of them.


Between working and studying for my comprehensive exams that are just around the corner (eeeek!), I haven’t been able to spend as much time in the kitchen as I like to. Preparing meals in large batches that will feed us for a few days at a time is the easiest, healthiest and most inexpensive way I can think of to get through these long days. Cause they sure are long!

 

Sure, leftovers get a little tedious, but it really doesn’t bother me or the future mister – especially when I consider the alternatives – take out or processed stuff. On a regular basis – neither option is very budget friendly or makes my body very happy.

 

So this batch of chili is going to last a couple of meals, which is good because it tastes awesome. I was hoping to have time to make some cornbread too, but I didn’t. Oh well. May be I’ll make a loaf tomorrow to dress up the leftovers.

 

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs grass-fed ground beef

1 onion, chopped

6 garlic cloves, chopped

1.5 cup black beans, cooked

8 ounces, sliced mushrooms

1 small head of cauliflower, chopped

1 large sweet potato, cut into ½’’ pieces

15 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

1 cup vegetable or beef broth

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon red chili powder

1 teaspoons oregano

1 teaspoons pepper

Olive oil

 

Directions:

Pour a little olive oil (1-2 tablespoons) into a large skillet. Add onions and garlic. When onions are transparent, add ground beef and cook completely.

Add all ingredients to slow cooker. Cook on low heat until potatoes are soft – about 5 hours. Contents will likely be almost overflowing in your slow cooker at first. Use a wooden spoon to mix things around as they start to cook down.

Serve with cooked dark leafy greens.

Posted in Fall, Frugal Living, Meat, Recipes, Stress, Wheat Free | 1 Comment »

Rosh Hashanah 2011

Saturday, October 1st, 2011

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Growing up in New York, school was always closed on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Little did I know that this was not common practice in other school districts and communities across the country. Since leaving New York in 2008, when it comes to Jewish holidays, life is served on a silver spoon a lot less often. But that’s ok. I think I’ve gotten the hang of it.


This year I didn’t have a lot of spare time to prepare a special meal on top of all my other commitments. Still, it was important to me to do something for Rosh Hashanah other than attending services at a local synagogue.


I invited some friends over and mostly stuck to recipes that I’ve made before and felt comfortable with. I skipped the hors d’œuvres and pre-dinner munchies and whipped up a few batches of cookies and banana bread during study breaks. This chicken recipe called for four ingredients and I’ve made it countless times before. I made a big batch of quinoa and threw in some spices. Of course there was the traditional plate of sliced apples and honey; apples for health, fall and the myth of creation and honey for sweet wishes in the New Year.


I read an article about traditional foods served on Rosh Hashanah and learned that eating carrots sliced into the shape of coins represents prosperity. Well that seemed easy enough to add to my Rosh Hashanah menu. I threw them in a pan with green beans from the Farmer’s market and came up with a sauce that complimented the sauce used for the chicken.


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Dinner is served!


While it didn’t take days to prepare and I didn’t roll and matzah balls, I think this was a pretty good meal to celebrate the New Year and still manage to stay on top of my other responsibilities while keeping my stress levels to a healthy level. Finding balance can be tricky, but I’m proud that the New Year is off to a great start!


Ingredients:

Juice from 1 lime

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Equal parts:

Green beans trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Carrots: Cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch pieces

A head of kale, stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped

1 small onion, chopped


Directions:

Add small amount of water to sauté onions. Once transparent add green beans and carrots. Cook al dente. Green beans and carrots should be slightly tender on the outside and crunchy on the inside.

While vegetables are on the stove, combine sauce ingredients in mixing bowl.

Once vegetables are cooked, drain extra water. Toss in lime ginger sauce. Serve warm or room temperature.

Posted in Cincinnati, Entertaining, Quick & Easy, Recipes, Stress | No Comments »

Findlay Market

Sunday, August 7th, 2011

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To switch things up this weekend I decided to purchase my weekly supply of local goodies at the Findlay Market yesterday instead of the usual Hyde Park Farmer’s Market. I love the HP market, but Ryan and I were in the neighborhood on Saturday morning and wanted to see what all the hype was about.


Although the market had several local vendors with delicious sustainable-grown produce, the extra 15 minutes in the car, difficulty parking and large crowds are not my ideal shopping experience. I found it stressful, even though I came home with some great stuff. I was also happy to recognize many of the vendors from my Sunday mornings at the Hyde Park Farmer’s Market.


So while I think it is absolutely wonderful that there is a growing support of local businesses here in Cincinnati, I prefer the smaller and more relaxing experience in Hyde Park on Sundays. But that’s just me. I don’t need 10 different vendors selling tomatoes at Findlay if all 3 at Hyde Park are equally priced and the same quality.


I guess part of moving to a new city is keeping an open mind and trying new things. Now I have an even stronger appreciation for the market in Hyde Park.


I have to admit that there were some great deals. Like these blueberries from Michigan – not super local, but more local than what Whole Foods sells from California. And you can’t beat the price – 1 pound for 6 bucks! I loaded up and will keep a stash in the freezer.


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I also picked up a seedless watermelon – it was huge and was also 6 bucks. Without a doubt, it is the best one of the season so far.


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I also had to stop and admire all of the beautiful flowers being sold at the market. Absolutely exquisite.


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What do you like or dislike about your local Farmer’s Market? Anyone go to Findlay? May be I just caught it on a super crowded day and should give it another try? I’m still the “new girl” here so any recommendations are appreciated!

Posted in Cincinnati, Community, Eating Local, Frugal Living, Self Care, Stress, Summer | No Comments »

Eating Well is Sometimes a Group Effort

Friday, August 5th, 2011

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Making changes – big and small – to diet and lifestyle is tough. I’ll be the first to admit it.

 

It can be difficult for many reasons, but I think one of the most common is the potential impact a healthier way of living can have on said individual’s social life. Concerns of isolation, relapse and judgment are very real.

 

It took quite a few months for me to be comfortable in public with my dietary restrictions. I remember how guilty I felt asking my waiter about ingredients in a dish I wanted to order, or placing an order but with a bunch of substitutes so that by the end of the order the dish barely resembled the original item on the menu. Picture the famous restaurant scene from “When Harry Met Sally”, but worse. Yea, that was me. And I hated it. I went on dates and was so worried my date would think I “high maintenance” and had “food issues” so I ordered food that I knew was going to make me sick. Because the real me was easy going and orders a dish as-is off the menu. The real me wasn’t obsessed with weight or body image. This “other girl” wasn’t the real me.

 

A close friend of mine also had medical issues that required her to have somewhat similar dietary restrictions. She helped me feel more comfortable with eating in restaurants, talking about my dietary restrictions and most importantly, accepting my new reality. Thanks, Jules.

 

For many of you, my experience is extreme. I get that.

 

What I hear a lot from my clients, friends and family members is that they want to make a change but are worried about two things more than anything else; (1) the social implications and (2) the time it takes to prepare a healthy meal for themselves and their family.

 

My suggestion – ask your friends if they would be interested in a weekly recipe swap and/or alternate hosting a weeknight dinner each week. This way you get at least one night off of menu planning, preparing and cooking OR you’re just making double the amount you’d be making anyway. Your friends come over for dinner on the designated night or you go there. Agree ahead of time that dinner is casual, with a focus on eating whole nutrient-dense foods and catching-up with friends. There’s no need to pull out the fine china or prepare a three-course meal.

 

I am lucky enough to have friends like this in Cincinnati. We alternate one dinner each week. I get to try new recipes I might not have come up with on my own an so do they. Last night was my turn to host.

 

I kept things really simple – sautéed kale and onions, a stir-fry of quinoa, onions, peppers, cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes and black beans with a ginger teriyaki sauce and baked patty pan squash.

 

I saw the patty pan squash at the farmer’s market earlier that week and wasn’t quite sure what to do with it. It was the first time I’d even heard of a “patty pan squash”. The woman who sold it to me said it’s great in the oven with some butter and parmesan cheese.  Well, that wasn’t going to work well for my dinner guests or me so this is what I did instead.

 

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Ingredients:

1 summer squash – cut into half inch slices

cumin – to taste

pepper – to taste

nutritional yeast – to taste

extra virgin olive oil – enough to lightly coat each side of the squash slices

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray or lightly coat olive oil on each slice of squash (both sides) and place onto bottom of baking dish. Squash may overlap slightly.

Sprinkle cumin and pepper.

Lightly coat with nutritional yeast.

Bake until slices are tender – about 15 minutes.

 

I was a little skeptical at first, since nutritional yeast doesn’t melt like cheese, but the reviews were very positive so I will definitely be making it again this summer.

 

So last night not only was I able to socialize, but I also had a healthy home cooked stress-free meal! Win, win all around.

Posted in Baking, Cincinnati, Community, Eating Local, Entertaining, Frugal Living, Health Coaching, Quick & Easy, Recipes, Self Care, Stress, Summer, Ulcerative Colitis, Vegetarian / Vegan | 1 Comment »

My not-so-secret tips for a good night’s sleep

Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011

sleep


Sleep – something we’ve been doing since the day we were born and yet can be a struggle for so many of us. In theory, we should be pros by now, know exactly what to do to catch those 8 hours of zzzz’s. Clearly this isn’t the case or the “sleep aid” industry wouldn’t exist.


Getting enough sleep is important for our health. Research suggests that sleep is just as important for maintaining good health as diet and exercise.


Obviously sleep contributes to tiredness, mood disturbances and productivity but it can also affect our weight. Research indicates that two hormones play a big role in the connection between sleep and weight – leptin and ghrelin. Leptin sends signals to the brain to indicate when we are full. Ghrelin simulates our appetite. When we don’t get enough sleep, the production of leptin goes down, so we don’t feel satisfied after eating, AND our ghrelin levels increase so our appetite is stimulated. Not exactly ideal for our waistline.


What we eat and drink in addition to how we spend our time when we’re awake can have a big impact on how well we sleep.


I used to have a lot of difficulty falling asleep AND staying asleep. I admit that my sleep today isn’t perfect, but overall it’s significantly better than it used to be a few years ago. If you’re having difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep here is what helped me the most and hopefully will help you too.


Turn Out the Lights – This might seem obvious, but light confuses our body’s biochemical clock so even though it might be late into the evening, light causes our body to believe it’s earlier in the day than it actually is. Even the light from your digital alarm clock, DVD player and other bedroom gizmos can have an impact. Personally, I sleep with an eye mask to guarantee total black out and it has made a huge difference in the amount and quality of my sleep.


Wind Down Before Crawling Into Bed – Get off the phone, step away from the computer and turn off the TV. I spend so much time constantly on the move so my body needs to be still and my brain needs to wind down before it is capable of sleep. I like to read a book or do some light stretching before bedtime. When I have a really stressful day, breathing exercises help a lot too.


Ditch the Caffeine and Sugar – We are all different and unique so we react to these stimulants differently. For me, any caffeine or sugar during the day will have an impact, but my fiancé can have an espresso at dinner and fall asleep shortly after. If you’re having sleep challenges, try cutting the caffeine and sugar out completely for at least a week and see if you notice a difference.


Keep a Paper and a Pen Nearby – May be it’s just me but bedtime is the first time all day that I can relax. So what happens? My mind starts running and thinking about everything I have do the following day. Or I start mentally packing for an upcoming trip. Or making my grocery list. You get the idea. Now I keep a to-do list handy at all times. When something pops into my head I write it down and feel assured that I won’t forget. My mind is now quiet when I crawl under the covers.


Crank Up the AC – I know I sleep better when the room is cool. It’s that simple. I’m not talking freezing temperatures in the bedroom 24/7, but if my bedroom is even a few degrees too warm then I won’t sleep well. An hour before bedtime I turn up the AC and let the room cool down so that it’s a comfortable temperature when I’m ready for sleep.


Exercise – We know exercise is great for your health for many reasons. Improving sleep is absolutely one of them.


So there you have it. My not-so-secret strategies to getting a good night sleep!

Posted in Caffeine, Desserts, Health Coaching, Self Care, Stress, Sugar, Yoga | No Comments »

Blackberry Oat Bars

Monday, August 1st, 2011

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I know. I know. This picture isn’t exactly salivating-worthy. Let me explain.


I originally saw a recipe for blueberry oat bars on this website and wanted to give it a try – with a few modifications based on what I already had and what I had access to. However, I accidentally forgot to add the applesauce and water to the crust, but by the time I realized my error the layers had already been made. Instead of throwing everything away and starting over I decided to peel off the layers and save what I could. I purchased the blackberries at the farmer’s market the day before for the sole reason of making this recipe (there weren’t any blueberries available) and didn’t have a back-up supply on hand. So I added the water and applesauce and put everything back into the baking dish according to the recipe’s directions.


So while this outcome you see pictured above is not as aesthetically pleasing as it could be and the layers are not distinct, you can’t tell at all by the taste.


These bars are sweet enough for dessert, but light enough to compliment the summer heat. Personally, I love chocolate desserts year-round, but some of my friends prefer fruity desserts and I think this will make the perfect go-to recipe next time I’m dining with these folks.


I thought about waiting to share the recipe with y’all until I could make the bars correctly the first time around, but decided against it. I’m not a professional chef and don’t pretend to be one. Sometimes I mess up and my meals don’t always look pretty. But I use real ingredients and that is more important to me than what it looks like.


There was a time when I would have, without a doubt, thrown everything out and started over so that everything would look perfect for my readers. Perspective is a powerful thing and can completely change the way we deal with stress and expectations. I had 2 options once I realized my mistake. (1) I could have gotten upset and frustrated that I screwed up these oat bars. My entire day could have been ruined. A little bit of a drama-queen-like example, but I’m sure we all know people like this on some level. Instead of a baking mishap, may be it’s getting stuck in traffic, arriving late to a meeting, bad weather on a special day, you get the idea. (2) Or – I could say “Oh well. They still taste good.”

 

We’re only human. And sometimes stuff happens.


What really matters is how we handle it.

 

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Ingredients:

Filling:

1 pint blackberries

5 tablespoons agave nectar or honey

¼ cup water

½ teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons cornmeal

 

“Crust”

3 cups rolled oats (not the instant variety)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1.5 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup unsweetened organic applesauce

6 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey

 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8×8 inch baking dish.

In small saucepan combine blackberries, agave nectar and ¼ cup water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

When it is boiling, add vanilla and cornmeal. Stir as mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.

Put 1.5 cups of rolled oats into blender and grind to a fine powder. Pour into medium-sized mixing bowl.

Add 1.5 cups of rolled oats, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Mix.

Add applesauce, agave and water. Mix well.

Spread half of the crust batter into the greased pan – smoothing to cover the bottom of the pan.

Spoon the blackberry filling over the batter and cover the filling with the remaining crust mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

*** Store somewhere cool – like your refrigerator – to extend “shelf life”.

Posted in Baking, Desserts, Eating Local, Entertaining, Health Coaching, Stress, Summer, Vegetarian / Vegan | 1 Comment »

Sometimes I leave my cell phone at home… on purpose! [gasp here]

Thursday, July 14th, 2011

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Technology is a funny thing. I don’t remember how I ever lived without a cell phone, wireless internet or Skype. Growing up and learning to drive, I obviously drove around without the security blanket of a cell phone in my bag. I can honestly say that I never ran into an incident on the road where having a cell phone would have really changed the outcome. However, by today’s standard, the whole town would be gossiping if a parent allowed their teenager to drive on the “open road” without their cell phone. Man, I feel old.


My blackberry allows me to stay in touch when I’m on the go. Living far away from home, I am so grateful for Skype and the ability to see my friends and family face-to-face. I’ve even used Skype to give walking tours of my new home to my family and friends that haven’t been able to visit – not quite the same thing as being together in person, but it usually fills the void and makes me feel closer to them.

 

Technology makes life easier. Or does it?

 

There was a time when I felt obligated to respond to emails immediately and always answer incoming calls. It was exhausting!

 

And you know what else? I noticed that I was never completely engaged with what I was doing or who I was actually with because out of the corner of my eye I was constantly looking at my blackberry – ready to jump into action if it rang or made my personalized alert sound indicating that I had a new email or Facebook update. I was missing out on the present.

 

Over time I established boundaries between my technology gadgets and me. And it feels so liberating!

 

I have no problem leaving my phone in my bedroom while I am in the living room reading and unwinding at the end of a long day. Or putting my phone on silent when I’m having dinner with my fiance. Or ignoring the ringing sound of my phone when I’m studying or trying to get through a to-do list. If I answer, I get distracted, I lose my momentum and my productivity goes downhill. I don’t have time or energy to be that inefficient.

 

It’s not personal, I just need to stay focused and on track. For me, answering my phone does not let me do that. I promise to call you back when I’m taking a break from the books or finish whatever it is I am working on or leave whoever I am with.

 

Does this make me crazy, rude or selfish? I don’t think so. I think we have so many distractions in our culture today and we are constantly moving on to the next thing without taking a moment to appreciate whatever it is we are doing or who we are with in the present.

 

As far as I’m concerned, mobile phones are absolute genius. But they have also created a lot of gray areas surrounding the etiquette of how and when we communicate.

 

I’ve never been unreachable for the important stuff – like when my brother was rushed into emergency surgery. I don’t believe that a good friendship is defined by how many times you speak a day or week. I think quality, not quantity, is important. So overall my stress is lower, my focus and attention on my loved ones is stronger and my productivity is higher. I’d say creating boundaries has been a healthy change for me.

 

How do you balance being accessible remotely with staying on task, being engaged with who you’re physically with and keeping stress levels manageable? Do you have boundaries or guidelines you like to follow for phone calls and answering emails?

Posted in Community, Entertaining, Stress | No Comments »