Rick Owens is one of my favorite designers, and I'm obsessed with this look!

TRUST YOUR BODY, NOT THE HYPE!

It shouldn't be a "diet", it should be a lifestyle! Don't listen to all the hype, pay attention to your body and give it what it needs to look and perform at its best, not what they claim that your blood type, body type or fitness level needs. Its so simple, yet many make it so complicated: Exercise, don't starve yourself, don't binge, don't purge, don't take diet pills, don't eat because you want to, eat because you need to. Honor any food allergies you may have and nourish your body with water and nutritious veggies, fruits, grains and other organic foods. When you embark on a complete lifestyle change, these things will become second nature, I guarantee it.

HEAL OTHERS, HEAL YOURSELF

Healing others while healing yourself is exactly why I chose to become a health coach. Whenever I can help motivate someone to reach their greatest potential, it reminds me to do the same and continue to work on myself. It is very important to focus on the light through the darkest times, because positivity is the key to happiness, success, health and our all-around well-being. 


Health and happiness is something that we must work on every day, because things can happen, but its all about our reaction. When you see someone who is down, don't save them, but motivate them to stay positive and save themselves. There's always someone who has it worse, and we must avoid complaining when things aren't going our way. The only way to be truly happy is to take care of yourself from the inside out, it always shows on the outside!


"It is only when we have the courage to see things exactly as they are in this moment without any self-deception or illusion that a light can develop to which the path to success will be recognized." -Debbie Ford

I think I'm in love...

SELF-LOVE STARTS ON THE INSIDE

Take a few moments to sit or lie down in complete stillness. Put one hand on your lower abdomen and another over your heart. Take a deep breath, a breath that expands your belly and lungs, and hold it. Most people tend to tense up when holding their breath, but its important to drop your shoulders relax and hold it for at least 5-10 seconds. Slowly release your breath through your nose or mouth, and become completely aware of yourself and your body. Feel your heart beating beneath one hand as the other rests on your abdomen, and think about all of the work our bodies must complete every day. 


When there aren't enough nutrients in our food, the body can't digest properly to support it's functions. In order to perform at our best, we must feed ourselves with foods containing a mix of different nutrients. I could go into detail, but I believe that there is plenty of additional information on this in a few of my previous posts. Give your body the TLC that it needs and feed it with foods that help rather than hurt it. That's right party animals: Be nice to your liver, too! Remember: "You are what you eat (and drink)!"

FOOD SENSITIVITIES

Pay attention to your body at all times, and if you think that you ought to take your food sensitivities more seriously, consult your doctor as soon as possible.

Food Sensitivities: 10 Best & Worst Foods for Your Tummy

Achieve a Healthy Digestive System

By Jennifer Gruenemay, Special to Lifescript

Published August 23, 2010

Gas, stomach aches, constipation and diarrhea are common 

signs your digestive system is off-kilter. But did you know that 

brittle hair and low energy can also point to tummy troubles? 

Find out which foods will keep your gut clogged or moving. 

Plus, test your yogurt IQ with our quiz…

A healthy digestive system begins with a good diet. Eat the right 

stuff and improve digestion. Eat badly, and you feel like a human 

garbage can. How you eat can affect the way you feel, too.

"If you don't digest your food properly, your cells don't get what 

they need to function optimally," says Liz Lipski, Ph.D., a clinical 

dietitian and author of Digestive Wellness (McGraw-Hill). 

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is also home to our most precious 

disease-fighting resource: the immune system.

"Two-thirds of the immune system is in the digestive tract," 

Lipski says. "There are more neurotransmitters in the GI 

than in the brain and more nerve endings than in the 

spine," she adds. 

Your digestive system is vital to your health and happiness. 

So how do you keep it working well? For starters, avoid 

these 5 gut enemies: 

5 Worst Foods for Your Gut

1. Red meat

The more red meat you eat, the higher your risk 

of colorectal cancer risk. That's because it's typically high in 

saturated fat, which is tied to cancer of the small intestine, 

according to a 2008 Cancer Research study.

How to avoid it: Choose lean cuts of beef, lamb and pork. 

Eat more protein- and iron-rich legumes in place of red meat. 

Grill a Portobello mushroom instead of a burger; it's meaty 

flavor will fill you.

2. Processed meat

Lunch meats, hot dogs, sausages and 

other processed meats are packed with saturated fat, 

sodium and nitrates.

Processed meats have been linked to colon cancer, possibly 

because they are cooked at high temperatures, which can 

increase carcinogens.

How to avoid it: Stick to fresh, lean cuts and eat other 

forms of protein (legumes and grains) as much as possible.

3. Hydrogenated oils

Trans fats, created when liquid oils 

are hydrogenated (so they become solid at room temperature), 

aren't found in nature. They’re an inexpensive way to make 

fats last longer on supermarket shelves, but your body pays a 

high price: They’re tough to digest and have been linked to 

many health problems, including increased bad (LDL) 

cholesterol, decreased good (HDL) cholesterol and colon 

cancer.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires trans fats 

to be labeled on food products. But, the federal agency also 

allows manufacturers to claim zero trans fats if there are 

fewer than 0.5 grams per serving. 

Don't be fooled: If a food lists hydrogenated oils as an 

ingredient, it contains trans fats.

How to avoid it: Get nutrients in foods that are fresh, 

whole and natural, and ditch the packaged, processed stuff.

4. Gluten

About 2 million Americans suffer from gluten 

intolerance, says the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

Gluten is a protein found in barley, rye, spelt, wheat and 

countless other foods such as processed meats, soy sauce, 

ice cream, cheese, cookies, pasta, ketchup, salad dressings 

and more.

Food sensitivities affect 10%-20% of us, and can cause lots 

of digestive complaints and stomach aches (gas, cramping, 

bloating, heartburn, indigestion) and other symptoms, 

including chronic headaches, aching joints and muscles, 

depression, concentration, memory problems and poor 

energy levels, Lipski says.

How to avoid it: A gluten-free diet is the only solution 

to this food sensitivity; it’s a challenge but possible. 

Check out 7 Gluten-Free Recipes. 

5. Lactose

Another cause of stomach aches is lactose, the principal 

sugar found in milk. Lactose intolerance affects 30-50 

million Americans, according to the NIH.

Avoiding milk will help, but you don't have to give up 

all dairy. Some lactose-intolerant people do fine with 

small amounts of milk.

How to avoid it: Drink lactose-free milk and eat 

cultured dairy products, like yogurt, which break 

down lactose. Aged cheeses (like Cheddar and Swiss) 

have less lactose and may be easier to digest.

5 Best Foods for Your Gut

1. Dietary fiber 

Our Pick: Prunes

Fiber keeps things moving through 

your digestive system and out. Otherwise, your colon is 

stuck with toxins that can build up and cause major 

health problems. 

Your body then begins reabsorbing toxins, hormones 

and other substances. 

"If you don’t have regular bowel movements, you're 

retaining wastes that your body has finished with," 

Lipski says. "It’s like not moving a stinky garbage bag 

out of your kitchen.”

A diet rich in fiber protects against colon cancer and 

cancers of the small intestine, according to a 2008

 study in the journal Gastroenterology.

Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes are all 

packed with healthy fiber. But when it comes to 

staying regular, prunes, because of their mild laxative 

effect, is the go-to fruit. They're also a great source of 

energy, nutrition and disease-fighting phenolic 

compounds.

2. Probiotics 

Our Pick: Yogurt 

Probiotics are those "good bugs" 

you hear health nuts raving about. Why would anyone 

willingly eat bacteria?

Because our intestinal flora is made up of trillions of 

good bacteria that aid in digestion and promote 

immunity and health. In fact, four pounds of our body 

weight comes from the bacteria that live in the 

digestive tract. 

The No. 1 probiotic food is yogurt. Yes, it's a dairy 

product – the bane of millions of lactose intolerant 

people – but eating yogurt calms digestive complaints. 

That's because it contains live cultures, typically 

Lactobacillusand Bifidobacterium, that help lactose 

digestion.

When choosing a yogurt, make sure the cultures are 
listed as "live" or "active." Yogurts with added fiber 
are even better.

But steer clear of yogurts with a lot of sugar, which 
hurts digestive health because it feeds the bad bacteria 
in your GI tract. Plain, unsweetened yogurt is best. Add 
some fiber-rich berries or honey, which has prebiotic 
properties, if you need to sweeten it up. 

3. Prebiotics 
Our Pick: Lentils
Prebiotics are food for probiotics. 

"Bacteria multiply very quickly but need food once 
they reach the intestines," Lipski says.

Prebiotics help good bacteria thrive while driving 
down the number of disease-producing bacteria trying 
to invade the digestive tract.

They also promote a more acidic intestinal environment, 
which helps the body absorb nutrients in food such as 
the minerals calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium.

Luckily, prebiotics are found in many of the foods we 
already eat.

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and inulin are two 
naturally occurring prebiotics in onions, garlic, leeks, 
legumes, bananas, asparagus, sunchokes (Jerusalem 
artichokes) and more. 

Lentils, a legume, are a great natural source of prebiotics 
and dietary fiber. They're a good substitute for red meat 
because of their high protein and iron content. To help 
your body better use the iron in lentils, prepare them 
with a vitamin C-rich food such as tomatoes.

4. Gluten-free grains
Our Pick: Quinoa
Gluten – a protein found in grains 
such as wheat, barley and rye – isn't necessarily bad 
for you. But it does cause stomach aches for many people.

Because of genetics, about 30% of us poorly digest 
gluten-containing grains, Lipski says. But many people, 
regardless of family history, feel better when they stop 
eating them.

Expanding your grain repertoire is a good idea whether 
or not you're gluten intolerant. Quinoa (pronounced 
"keen-wah") is an excellent option. This gluten-free grain 
is a complete protein, meaning it provides all eight essential 
amino acids. It's also fiber-rich and bursting with minerals. 

It cooks up like rice (two parts water to one part grain) and 
adds a unique texture (chewy yet crispy) to side salads, 
casseroles, soups and more.

5. Fermented foods
Our Pick: Sourdough 
Sometimes your GI tract just 
needs a break. Fermented foods are the solution.

"Fermenting or culturing makes food more digestible by 
actually 'predigesting' it for you," Lipski says.

Fermenting also increases our absorption of the other 

nutrients in the food. Pickles, sauerkraut, kefir, miso, tempeh 

and Japanese tamari or soy sauce are all easy-to-digest 

fermented foods.

So is sourdough. It can sub in for wheat bread if you’re sensitive 

to gluten. Sourdough breads are often made with wheat flour, 

but the fermentation weakens the gluten. 

If you don't want wheat at all, many grocery stores offer 100% 

gluten-free sourdough.

Something to wash it all down

Don't forget the most essential "food" of all – water. 

Digestion can't occur without water, so be sure to drink eight 

8-ounce glasses throughout the day.

For more information, check out our Digestive Health Center.

NOW YOU CAN ENJOY NILDA'S ADOBO, TOO!

Words cannot describe how much I love adobo. My Filipino nanny Nilda used to make it for me all the time when I was growing up, and when she left to go back to the Philippines, my Mom convinced her to share the recipe. There are plenty of versions for this dish in modern cookbooks, but this is the original from someone straight from the Philippines! I probably sound like a spoiled brat when I say "my nanny", but when my family moved to the states, my parents needed extra help with my sister and I, so deal with it. 

I always had adobo with chicken growing up, but I've been more of a pescetarian for a while and the meat version can easily be replaced with tofu or seitan. Keep in mind that this is the "healthier version" of Nilda's recipe, because that's how my Mom and I always do it.

"Nilda's Chicken Adobo"

(Its easy to do the vegetarian/vegan version of this)

Ingredients:

3-5 dark meat chicken legs (chopped in half)

1 quart of chicken stock

4 garlic cloves (chopped)

1/4 cup of low-sodium soy sauce (Tamarind soy sauce and/or Liquid Aminos are much healthier choices)

4 lemons (halved)

Directions:

1) Rinse the chicken and add it to a large pot of broth uncovered on low heat.

Add the garlic, soy sauce and squeezed lemons. I recommend adding vinegar because it inhibits the growth of bacteria, and adobo leftovers are just as delicious!

2) Keep the temperature on low. After 30 minutes, taste the sauce and add more lemon, soy sauce and/or garlic if needed. You can also add bay leaves and black peppercorns if you'd like.

3) After cooking for an hour (still on low), check the chicken to see if its done.

4) Serve with brown rice, steamed broccoli or corn (I recommend all three). Enjoy!

Like all of my other personal writing and photos, this is property of http://HealthHappinessandHottness.blogspot.com.