You look in the mirror and  you don’t see yourself anymore. You see a stranger who needs help. She (or he) is a mess, they’re overweight (or maybe underweight), they look tired, bloated, dulled complexion, sad, lost, and defeated.

Sometimes it takes hitting a brick wall in the hypothetical sense in order for us to make changes. We get to a point where we just can’t take it anymore, we get sad, mad, then determined and that determination can drive us back to the person we know and love.

It’s very easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of new fads, a different way of thinking every two weeks, or the latest train of thought in someone else’s opinion of what is good for the body such as gluten-free living, Paleo dieting, raw foods diet, vegan, vegetarian, supplemental dieting, etc. etc. etc. – the storm of latest-greatest just keeps flowing until POP! You feel like you hit a brick wall. You might hit so hard that it throws you backward onto your butt leaving you staring at the blank wall, speechless. My suggestion is to thank that brick wall for stopping you in your tracks giving you time to re-assess your situation and intentions and to decide if you want to continue or to change course.

Each of us is different and that is a beautiful thing. I’ve learned in my health coach training that what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for the next and I know by practicing it that it’s absolutely true. Step back, take a deep breath and reset your goal. When you are at a complete stop and want to make changes in your life is when you will be able to find what works for you best. A good start would be to begin eliminating processed foods and sugary snacks even if they say healthy, fit, dietary, low-fat…processed foods have high salt, sugars and chemicals which all cause inflammation throughout your entire body. Make a move to whole foods as often as possible. Another great way to start over is to let go of your past that doesn’t serve you and hold tightly to that in your life that has or still does serve you. Freedom is a clean start!

I would LOVE to help you reach your ultimate-self. It doesn’t matter how far away you are, we can work together from any distance. Want to know what foods help you best? Want to process and discard any past pain? Want to find out what lifestyle improvements fit you? Let me know why you’re fed up, what you would like to change, what is holding you back or anything else that;s on your mind; begin your change now…why wait? Email me, it’s always confidential: Dawn@initiatewellness.com

Too often I see people buying and consuming so-called low-fat foods thinking that they’re doing their body or diet a favor. The truth is low-fat foods have added sugar or other ingredients that add calories and empty calories at that. I teach my clients to opt out of falling for what seems like the wise choice of low-fat foods except when it comes to dairy since most low-fat dairy is simply fat skimmed off adding nothing to compensate.

I recently wanted to purchase mayonnaise and saw Hellman’s brand made with olive oil and thought, “wow, great”; that was until I read the label.
Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise brand has 90 cals.-10g., Total fat- 1.5g., Sat. fat-5mg, chol.-90 mg. sodium, 0 carbs/sugars (though sugar is in the ingredients list)
Hellman’s Olive Oil version- 60 cals- 6 g., total fat- 1 g, sat. fat- 5mg, chol.- 120 mg., sodium, 0, carbs/sugars (yep, in the ingredients)
Hellman’s Low-Fat version- 15 cals., 1 g. total fat- 0, sat. fat- 0, chol- 0, carbs/sugars ( you guessed it, on the list too!) a whopping 130mg. Sodium and the first ingredient is Modified Corn Starch and continue reading and you’ll find other ingredients that are difficult to say.
You can see for yourself at Hellmanns.com 

I’ve decided to buy mayonnaise with the least amount of ingredients and organic when I can find it.

This is not limited to mayonnaise, when you read labels you will find that this is true with the majority of so-called healthy low-fat choices.

The bottom line is just eat the most natural version you can find, less ingredients equals a better product and opt for organic versions before the general commercial versions and eat only sparingly; less is more.

When you make your own salad dressing from olive or nut oils with a choice of herb infused vinegar and adding your own choices of herbs versus the store-bought “low-fat’ version you know it’s fresh and complete and you consume fewer calories, less sugar, less chemicals, and less dressing overall.

We all have cravings at one time or another and some people have cravings every day and give in to them. What they’re not paying attention to is what their body really wants so they keep foraging for something to satisfy that urge to eat. This habit grows and most often gets out of control.

Common cravings are sweet and salty foods, sugary snacks like candy, cake, other pastries, ice cream, cookies, chips, bread, pasta, French fries, batter-dipped foods, deep-fried, gooey cheesy and doughy types of food. The list can go on but these are the common things most people crave.

I have found that when I haven’t eaten many vegetables I start digging around for things like chips, bread and pasta. A typical day for me includes 5-7 and sometimes more servings of vegetables, mostly leafy or other dark greens. I love vegetables! My body loves vegetables!

I recently tried to increase my animal and vegetable protein intake to probably double what I generally eat in order to drop a few pounds. I did this for personal experience and experimentation and through advise of a fellow health coach. While I felt full longer I found that I also felt tired, slow and unfocused; a little bit in a fog. While I’m glad I tried this approach I don’t think a high protein diet is helpful for my particular body.

Back to eating more veggies… my body functions best on more vegetables and an adequate amount of proteins, both animal and vegetable; though I err on the side of vegetable proteins as I enjoy them more and feel more alive when I eat them – just as I do when I eat plenty of greens. When I eat plenty of berries, a little bit of fruit and a hefty amount of steamed or raw vegetables, I feel energized and renewed…every day.

It’s simple to learn what your cravings are telling you. You may want the help of a health coach such as myself – but never give up on your beautiful self. Make a commitment to learn what your body in particular needs, and promise yourself a healthy, happy new future!

Contact me: if you would like to work together on finding out what your cravings are telling you and to finally break that habit.

We all know that brushing, flossing and regular dental check-ups help keep our teeth and gums healthy. In addition to that a healthy diet is equally important.

Maybe you already eat a diet free of sugary and carbonated drinks and sugary snacks, but did you know that milk, cereals, bread, pasta, fruits and some vegetables contain sugars and/or starches?

These starchy foods mix with your saliva causing an acid bath that eats away at tooth enamel making your teeth more susceptible to decay.

So what should we eat then? I’m glad you asked!

Fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts are better snack choices than candies, pastries, chips, soda, and other sweetened drinks and foods. While natural (whole) foods contain their natural sugars, chewing increases and flow of saliva does too which decreases acidity in the mouth and it washes away food particles. Choose apples, pears, grapes, berries, veggie sticks and mixed nuts for your snacks A good habit to adopt is to drink water during and after eating all meals to help rinse away leftover acids and food particles from the teeth.

A balanced diet of whole foods provides the entire body with much-needed vitamins and minerals, calcium rich foods such as leafy greens for teeth and bones and foods with naturally occurring calcium fluoride (which is remarkably safe).

By following these few simple suggestions you’ll benefit with healthier teeth and gums, fresher breath and you’ll get an extra bonus of less unhealthy fats stored in your body and more oxygenated blood which in turn will boost your energy level.

Eat and drink for your teeth and your health!