Coconut Oil, Friend or Foe?

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coconutoilpostI use cold pressed, unrefined coconut oil less than I used to. I didn’t taste much difference between that and a light olive oil in stir-frying. My knowledge of coconut oil in the past was that it wasn’t very good for you so my curiosity in why that ‘claim’ is different today, is no surprise. I decided to dig in, learn more about the pros and cons about coconut oil and decide for myself based on my nutritional training. I’ll share what I have learned but first let me state that I research like crazy before I decide on just about everything and I use references with highly accredited credentials.

In and before the 1980’s the use of coconut oil was ‘bad’ due to it being a saturated fat which raise bad cholesterol levels and so the use of hydrogenated oils became the norm. Findings later decided that hydrogenated oils were worse for us that coconut oil so up rose coconut oil fame again because of its minimal processing. In fact, everywhere you read there are claims that coconut oil is a ‘miracle oil’ and will fix just about any ailment you have including your squeaky gate…or gait.

What I have found in my recent research project is that the goodness of coconut oil depends on what oils you are replacing with coconut oil and how the coconut oil has been processed. Depending on what it’s replacing it can either raise good cholesterol as in replacing hydrogenated vegetable oils, have a neutral affect as in replacing butter and lard and it can have a questionable effect regarding heart health. Most of studies were done in countries where diet and exercise lifestyles were far different from here in the U.S. and other countries.

I just bought a new jar of coconut oil basically because of all the claims that we are all bombarded with. I now wish I had done this research ‘before’ I bought more but now I have a full jar of organic, unrefined coconut oil to use up. I’ll use it sparingly as I did the first jar but I might use it more externally than internally though I’m not afraid of it, I just choose to lighten up on it a bit. There is no evidence that it is down-right unhealthy for you but there are also no fantastic studies proving that it IS a miracle oil.

Everyone has their right to an opinion and a choice so I will practice mine based on the findings of my research. I’ll use up the jar I have but, in the future, I think I will stick with using the small amounts of extra virgin olive oils and various nut oils (and sometimes I even use a pat of butter-eeek!) that I am a fan of. I don’t use a lot of oil in a day and I don’t eat packaged snacks much if at all and my blood work had always been great so I feel confident in what I typically use for cooking.

If you do choose to use coconut oil in your cooking, choose the best product. Make sure the coconut oil you buy is organic, virgin, unrefined, cold-pressed; it will be in the purest form possible while conveniently put into a jar.

What are your thoughts on coconut oil? Have you used it and has it performed miracles for you? If so, what else has changed in your habits when you switched to using coconut oil? I’d love to hear your thoughts so drop me an email!

After thought: Coconut oil is pretty great on your skin, especially those overworked hairstylist hands, gardening hands, cooking hands, mechanic hands and all hands (and feet) in-between!

Sugar Belly

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Beans IW sign (640x383)

Chances are, you have heard the words and/or read about sugar belly. It’s a real issue so I thought I’d make a quick note for you to get some of the basics of sugar belly so that you can begin making small changes today that will lead to big changes for your future.

Sugar belly could quite possibly be the toughest fat to get rid of – it certainly is the last thing to go when ‘dieting’. What is sugar belly? It’s the fat we get around our middle that is more often a direct result of eating too many simple carbohydrates; of course, eating too many fats and the wrong type of fat has a lot to do with that middle belly bulge too.

Here’s a quick bit of info. on belly fats:

  • Visceral fats are deep inside and around the organs and it takes more energy to burn it.
  • Subcutaneous fats are right under the skin and the hardest to lose – starches and fats store as this fat first then it works its way deeper into the body.

If you don’t improve your nutrition and lifestyle, you could end up becoming a statistic of type 2 diabetes. Don’t wait until it gets to that point, don’t wait to react…become pro-active!

While changing your dietary and lifestyle habits can be difficult, confusing and maybe less convenient, it’s not impossible and it’s not as hard as you think. When you know what to do and how to it, you can ease into a better lifestyle and better health.

  • You can begin making changes by replacing sugary and starchy foods with fiber foods such as vegetables, whole grains and fruit.
  • Eliminate or at least limit beans, corn and potatoes. You can add these in in limited moderation after you have reached your goal, but always keep moderation under control.
  • Increase lean proteins moderately – eat lean meats, eggs, tofu, tempeh, and whole grains such as quinoa.
  • Have 5-9 or more servings of vegetables every day and 1-3 servings of fruit every day. This might sound like a lot of vegetables but when you eliminate the simple carbs. and junk foods and sweet sugary snacks, you’ll realize that lots of vegetables fill you, fuel you, hydrate you and clean your body from the inside out.

What are the benefits of eating more vegetables, fruit and lean proteins?

  • Clean, purified and oxygenated blood
  • Less fat in and around the body and organs = lower weight
  • Clear, vibrant, healthy, younger looking skin
  • Complete nourishment = more energy, alertness, better hydration
  • And so much more!

Make a change today. Choose a healthier, lighter you. Get rid of your sugar belly and find yourself in a new light. As always, if you would like guidance I am always happy to be your personal health coach, just call or write and let’s get started!

Are You Resistant to Change?

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changeWe want change in our lives, we want it on a regular basis and we make plans to make the desired changes but we never quite follow through–but why not? Why does change excite us and tease us but scare us at the same time? Why do we plan to dive in fully but put the brakes on when we get to the edge of the diving board?

Some change is simple and it involves oneself only, but sometimes a change affects others, disrupting life and causing us to step back or at least slow the process of making change happen.

If the change you’re trying to make involves yourself only, what is holding you back? What does your desired change look like to you? Is it realistic? Is it convenient? Inconvenient? Is it too hard? Is it too big? Are you at a loss of where or how to begin?

If the change you wish for involves others, as well as yourself, are the others aware of your desired change? How did they respond? What’s the scariest part of making that particular change? What is the worst case scenario; best case scenario? What do you need to push yourself forward?

Breaking old habits can catapult you toward your desired outcome and force you toward making progress. Taking small realistic steps toward whatever your goal may be is how to get there. Every single journey begins with that first step more often than a giant leap. Outline your desired change and decide what first step you can take today to begin your journey toward change.

Change is inevitable but it doesn’t have to be horrible when you are prepared.

Motivation

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20170813_161729What one or two things helps you find motivation and inspiration?

Is it a particular item?

Is it a certain aspect of nature?

Does motivation come from support of friends or loved ones?

Does a certain person inspire you?

Whatever your source of motivation and inspiration is, use it!  If you are unsure of what motivates you, take time to sit quietly in nature, in your house, in your safe spot or wherever you feel most at peace and open your heart and mind to discover your method of inspiration.

Become inspired!

Share your thoughts here, ask questions, make motivation happen for you!

Self-control is easier when your mind and body is busy…

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I was deep into my work and didn’t think about food until my stomach growled ‘feed me’. Hunger felt good. We, too often, eat for several reasons from it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner time-even though we ate a big snack 10 minutes ago or because we’re meeting friends and that always involves food; a restaurant or at someone’s home, because we’re bored, watching TV, and many more self-justifying excuses.

I skipped breakfast, bad practice, because I was running a little close for work so decided I’d eat after my first client. Immediately after the client, I began more work, putting food off again until the growling began. I made a sandwich of ham and loaded it with spinach. That was my lunch which held me surprisingly until dinner. Remember, my mind was preoccupied with work all day and it was a welcomed relief.

Three-thirty p.m. came around and I knew I needed to make a dinner plan. I rummaged through the refrigerator, reached for organic stewing beef I had, browned it in a large Dutch oven, added a dark locally brewed beer and some Italian herbs and simmered it for a few hours. It smelled delicious and warming. About 1/2 hour before serving I added potato chunks, carrots, celery, onion, 6 cloves of garlic, and simmered until the potatoes and carrots were tender; I tossed in a half bag of peas, warmed them and we enjoyed a warming, healthy hearty meal. The beef was fall apart tender and the entire meal was fast and simple to put together; I could continue working while it simmered gently.

As each day comes to a close with food choices under control and satisfaction with my food choices, I can look forward to tomorrow with a positive outlook. I look forward to inspiring you to follow your dreams, your goals and intentions and find great success in your self-satisfaction too!

Connect with me via email at Dawn.InitiateWellness@gmail.com

What Does Food Mean to You?

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Food means something different for each of us. For me it means satisfaction, indulgence, self-complimentary ( I think I’m a pretty good cook), savory as in savoring the positive moments in life (because I, like many, have had too many negative moments throughout my life), gorging on second helpings because of life’s limitations. My excuse for eating more than I need sometimes is self-justified by ‘because it tastes good’ and I deserve it. Deserve it! Honestly? We don’t deserve much. We are given, blessed with, fortunate, etc. to have abundance of food; let us not gorge ourselves! The answers I gave are almost certainly a result of my past and present emotions; food becomes comfort, memorable, it’s social, it’s personal, it’s public, it pleases, it displeases, it even simply fuels our body but it’s rare that we think exactly that when we are eating; it can become self-sabotage.

We relate food to who we are, who we were and who we want to be. We use food as a tool to bury feelings, to celebrate feelings and to blame our shortcomings on. We often rate ourselves by our commitment to what we eat, how we eat, why we eat and we let food define us.

Once we can understand and accept the reasons we treat food the way we do, once we really get to the bottom of our relationship with food we can develop a new relationship with food; we can let food be our friend instead of our enemy. Food feeds our cells, it fuels our body giving us energy, balancing our moods, our blood levels, sleep, making our health the best it can be given that we eat the right foods and the proper amounts on a regular basis. As Hippocrates said many years ago, “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food”.

The next time you feel particularly connected to a certain food in a sort of disconnected way, stop yourself, go deep inside and try to relate how the particular food makes you feel when you eat it. There’s no right nor wrong about it, it just is and that’s okay. Slowly you will be able to better control the way you relate to and treat food.

If you’re in need or in search of professional help in your eating and lifestyle habits, you are in the right place. Email me to get started on your journey to better health, better habits and heading up the road to happiness. You CAN be in control when you have the tools to help.

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My Weakness: Portion Control

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and coleslaw with plain Greek yogurt and spice dressing

Like many, I love food. I eat and crave healthy food [most of the time], I don’t eat processed food and I rarely ever eat junk food.

I usually have good self-control but sometimes I find myself going back for seconds simply because it tastes so good! That is a poor excuse for overeating especially when my stomach has been satisfied the first time around. This doesn’t happen every day, and when it does, I know I need to go inside myself and re-assess my emotions.

When I go inside myself emotionally, I ask: do I want seconds because it indeed does taste so good that one serving isn’t possibly enough or is there something missing in my life? If it’s the latter, what is missing? What is it that food is satisfying for me? Why does food make it somehow a little better?

Do you find yourself going in for more than you need? Do you feel uncomfortably full sometimes after you eat? Do you sometimes feel frustrated about where you are in your life, or about not being able to reach your goals as easily or quickly as you wish, do you feel like something is missing or off? The we you feel is often the reason we eat more than we should, or why we eat sugar, carbs, crunchy, chewy, gooey things, or soft, cold, or warming foods and drinks.

Assessing your feelings, writing them in a journal and getting in touch with your innermost feelings will help you to move forward. If you don’t quite know where to start, as a health coach, I work with individuals with exactly this type of behavior, help is always available and affordable. You are worth feeling good, looking good and being healthy.

Gaining control over what and how we eat is something we need to accomplish. When we accomplish that goal first, it makes our big goal easier to reach and new goals more exciting to set….and reach!

Broccoli Super-food Salad

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This salad will help cleanse your system and provide you with minerals and vitamins. Choose organic ingredients when you can to avoid pesticides and such.

  • 1 head broccoli chopped into bite sized pieces
  • ½ small onion – red onion or scallions will work nicely
  • 2-4 carrots, sliced thin, chopped or run through a spiralizer (Cut a slice lengthwise before spiraling to make separate pieces) – I used 2 large carrots, one purple & one yellow
  • handful dried cranberries
  • 1 Tablespoon Chia seeds
  • ¼ cup sunflower seeds
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds – I only had whole so I ground them coarsely
  • about 4” chunk of cheddar cheese, diced tiny (optional) for non-dairy use 2 Tablespoons Nutritional yeast
  • ½ cup Green Goddess Dressing (Organic) (or dairy-free equivalent)
  • 1 cup plain yogurt – Greek or regular (Organic) (or dairy-free equivalent)

Mix all ingredients and chill several hours to overnight. Enjoy!

*Variations include diced apple, chopped orange slices, grapes, berries or other types of nuts. Create!

Anxiety: What Eat & What to Avoid to Ease It

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We all have suffered with anxiety at one time or another and we all will suffer with it again. Anxiety, unfortunately, is a part of life as we know it – but you don’t have to cave in to it. By eating the right foods, avoiding the anxiety feeding foods and learning simple lifestyle habits, you can overcome personal anxiety.

What is anxiety? It’s a normal reaction; anxiety is a feeling response of worry, nervousness, fear, uneasiness and even feelings of eagerness/impatience toward a situation. Usually anxiety is temporary; if you find that you have anxiety that has been going on for a very long time, it’s a good idea to talk to someone about it, maybe even your doctor.

Food and lifestyle habits play an important role in dealing with anxiety. There are some foods that feed feelings of anxiousness and some foods that calm those feelings. How food affects your body’s nervous response is of key importance. Without going deeper into the explanation and reasons for anxiety, let’s look at the foods that help us and then the foods that we should avoid.

Anxiety Easing Foods & Supplements include tryptophan rich foods, B-vitamins and B-vitamin rich foods, chamomile & green tea, lemon balm fresh herb and tea, hops, valerian root, lavender [an emotional anti-inflammatory], fermented foods [probiotics] and probiotic supplements.

Foods to Eat:

  • Tryptophan: turkey, chicken, bananas, milk, oats, cheese, soy, nuts, sesame seeds, peanut butter
  • B-vitamins: beef, pork, chicken, leafy greens, legumes, citrus, rice, nuts, eggs, cauliflower, salmon, carrots, bananas, whole grains, wheat
  • Carbohydrates: [yes! Don’t turn away, they’re important!] whole grains (true whole grains, not additions to convenience foods), wheat, brown rice, potatoes, all vegetables
  • Fermented foods: yogurt, kefir, soy milk, Miso soup/broth, sauerkraut, dark chocolate, pickles, tempeh, kimchi, micro-algae drinks
  • Omega 3’s: salmon, tuna, lake trout, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, nuts, supplements
  • Lean Protein: plain Greek yogurt (add your own fruit, honey/maple & nuts), fish, meat, cheese, eggs, nuts, beans, soy, lentils
  • WATER!

Foods to Avoid [or at least Limit]:

  • Caffeine – (at least cut down if you drink coffee and soda all day long)
  • Sugar – (causes depression) incl. sweets, candy, cakes, pies, cookies, HFCS (high fructose corn syrup and other highly refined sweeteners, aspartame,
  • Processed food – boxed, frozen, canned, fast food…etc.
  • Added chemicals – MSG (depression, headaches, fatigue) food dyes (disrupts normal nervous system function)
  • Salt – messes with blood pressure, heart works harder to control the stress hormone adrenaline, *don’t buy/use pre-seasoned or flavored meat as they are high in sodium and added chemicals
  • Fried foods
  • Fatty foods – causes depression, hot dogs, deli meats, sausage

Focus your diet on clean eating whole foods, vitamin & mineral rich foods, calming herbal teas and plenty of water all year long and avoid the foods that trigger the ‘stress response’ and you can better control anxious situations. Of course stressful times will always be part of our lives, but we don’t have to let our lives revolve around our personal stress; it doesn’t have to be part of who we are.

I hope you try some of these suggestions and I hope to hear from you on your experience and/or thoughts about anxiety. Now, full breath in………let it out…exhale!

Cholesterol

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What is cholesterol?

It is a type of fat made in the liver to help bile production. Your body makes some cholesterol on its own and is needed to help digest food, make vitamin D and hormones; sex hormones to be precise. Your liver will produce more cholesterol when you eat trans-fats and saturated fats; if these are part of your regular diet, it will lead to unhealthy cholesterol levels.

What are the dangers of high cholesterol or high LDL?

LDL is low-density-lipoprotein and you want to keep this number low; HDL is high-density-lipoprotein and this level is best when kept high.

Three common risks of high cholesterol levels are heart attack, stroke and insulin resistance which can, and usually does, lead to diabetes if healthy changes are not made.

Without throwing out all the numbers, here are some ways to keep your cholesterol at a healthy level and/or get your cholesterol back to a healthy level.

  • Eat less/no bad fats: red meat, fatty meat, fried foods including everyone’s favorite, French fries. Sorry, your life is worth more than a few fries!
  • Quit smoking if you smoke.
  • Consume less alcohol if you drink more than 1-2 per day.
  • Lose weight if you are overweight but even if you’re thin, you can have high cholesterol; know your numbers.
  • Eat more fruits and vegetables, soluble fiber: oats, oat bran, beans, lentils, peas.
  • Exercise: it reduces the absorption of cholesterol. Get active 30 minutes/day at least 5 days a week. If you can’t find time, break it up in 10-15-minute intervals a few times a day. Walk, run, bike, swim, dance, jumping jacks, jump rope, roller blade. Just get active!

By eating a diet higher in vegetables, fruit, healthy fiber and healthy whole grains, eating smaller portion sizes, drinking plenty of water every day along with physical activity, you can have and maintain healthy cholesterol levels. In adopting these habits, you will likely have healthy blood pressure and sugar levels as well.

Eat, drink & play the healthy way!