End of 2016 Specials

Get a head start on making 2017 the Healthiest Year Yet for you, a friend or family member!

eBooks

3-part collection “How to Make Healthy Daily Doable and Delicious”:
$14 ($36 value)

Part 1-3:
$4.80 ($12 value)

Nutrition Coaching Sessions

Single Coaching Session- includes free eBook collection
$90 ($125 value) – coupon code: joycb

Lifestyle Coaching Package – 3 sessions- includes free eBook collection
$235 ($305 value) – coupon code: joy3eb

 

 

 

 

pricing effective through 12/31/16
coaching sessions based on individual rates (couples or groups slightly extra)
session rates must be prepaid and applicable for openings beginning Jan 9, 2017
(Some timing exceptions may apply. Contact us for questions.)

Black Friday – Cyber Monday Specials 2016

black-friday-cyber-monday

Thank you for sticking with us through transition seasons and for being devoted to pursuing a health reformation for you, your family…and ultimately, our nation! To say thanks, I’m opening up sales for you early… 60% off eBooks – discounted Nutrition Coaching sessions with some free gifts – and 10% off nutritional supplements (pharmaceutical grade) ordered at sessions.

So get a head start on making 2017 the Healthiest Year Yet for you, a friend or family member!

eBooks

3-part collection “How to Make Healthy Daily Doable and Delicious”:
$14 ($36 value)

Part 1-3:
$4.80 ($12 value)

Nutrition Coaching Sessions

Single Coaching Session- includes free eBook collection
$90 ($125 value) – coupon code: thankscb

Lifestyle Coaching Package – 3 sessions- includes free eBook collection
$235 ($305 value) – coupon code: thanks3LB

 

pricing effective through 11/29/16
coaching sessions based on individual rates (couples or groups slightly extra)
session rates must be prepaid and applicable for openings beginning Jan 9, 2017
(Some timing exceptions may apply. Contact us for questions.)

Honey Sweet Holidays

honey benefitsMy love for sweets came down to me through my genes! Grandma always stocked the cookie jar with fresh cookies, Grandpa made the best ever peanut brittle and continually filled his candy dish with chocolate kisses and Mom baked all kinds of amazing breads and desserts. I could easily hold the “dessert queen” title growing up loving baking, sweets and anything chocolate. My absolute favorite…chocolate chip cookie dough and the hot, melty, gooey cookies!

I know my “sweet tooth” is not alone, since American adults eat an average of 140 pounds of sugar and kids under 12 eat about 49 pounds per year. Sugar finds its way into almost every food product from salad dressing to peanut butter and even canned soups! At these quantities, it’s no wonder the rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity have risen dramatically, playing a major role in the “health-crisis” in America. We have moved so far away from the real fresh, nutrient-dense foods we were meant to eat to filling our bodies with instant, processed, packaged and empty-calorie food choices. Millions worldwide are suffering with malnutrition (defined as inadequate nutrition), not from low supply and availability, but from eating too much sugar and processed foods.

I too refused to give up my sweets for the longest time…until my health required it of me. It was a miserable process at the time, not knowing much about the natural sweetener options nor how to use them. Now, however, with the wide variety of delicious, natural sweeteners your sweet tooth and your palate need not be deprived! Keep an eye open for more tips, as I share what I’ve learned to make your journey more delicious and fun.

Be amazed with me, as we rediscover some of the treasures packed in real, naturally sweet foods! Raw honey is an absolutely delicious choice to replace processed sugar. Fascinatingly, back in ancient times, honey was an important commodity, being used not only as a tasty treat, but in cultural and religious traditions, for its numerous medicinal and cosmetic properties and even as a form of currency. Understandably so, since it’s estimated that 60,000 bees visit over 2 million flowers and accrue 55,000 flight miles to produce just 1 pound of honey. Raw honey, recognized by its thick, opaque and creamy consistency, is loaded with some incredible and relatively unknown and forgotten health benefits. By eliminating the heat processing (which makes most honey clear and syrupy), raw honey retains its live enzymes and numerous phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals. Modern science now can validate the traditional uses, showing honey components can work in the following ways:

  • act with strong anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal properties (for the skin, stomach, wounds, teeth & gums, etc.)
  • strengthen the immune system
  • aid and speed healing in numerous types of wounds, ulcers and burns
  • raise antioxidant levels to aid in healing and to slow aging
  • improve digestive health
  • help stabilize and maintain blood sugars
  • suppress coughs – may even work better than OTC cough suppressants
  • lessen allergy symptoms
  • give great energy, especially for athletes
  • help to relieve and reduce side effects from cancer treatments
  • function with anti-tumor properties
  • beautify your skin and hair with cleansing, moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, “anti-breakout”, healing properties and more… (Personally, this stuff is the best for great skin!)

Love it that such incredible properties are packed into something that tastes SO good!

So this holiday season (and the next time you want something sweet), reach for the honey to sweeten your treat.  Experiment and substitute sugar in your favorite recipes with honey and/or a combination of other natural sweeteners. Look for new ideas using honey to replace old favorites. Add a spoonful instead to your coffee or tea. Consider your body’s needs and don’t settle for empty, processed foods, when you deserve only what will nourish you and help you be your best! Your body will thank you for it…and you’ll love its deliciousness.

 

Raw Honey Shopping Tip: Look for the creamy, thick, opaque varieties that specify “raw” and “unprocessed.” Natural food markets and farmer’s markets are great places. For added benefits, look for raw honey from local bee farms. Anecdotal stories report raw honey from local sources may also reduce allergy symptoms.

 

For facials and skin benefits: mix a dab of honey (the size of a “pea”) with a few drops of water to use alone or add fresh aloe, and/or olive or coconut oil or a dab of your favorite moisturizer. This makes it easy to spread and keeps it from being sticky. Massage gently onto your face and enjoy the lovely benefits.

For brilliant, shiny hair: mix 1 tsp honey with 4 cups of warm water. Pour through hair after shampooing. Don’t rinse out, but style as usual.

 

Be sure to pass the goodness on to a friend!

 

 ***Caution: honey should not be fed to infants under 12 months.

Sweet Apple Appeal

apple benefitsApples. Nothing is more American than Apple Pie, an apple for the teacher, cherishing that special someone who’s the “apple of our eye” or taking a trip to “the Big Apple”. And what better time to celebrate them than National Apple Month?! Yes, it’s apple season!! We get a huge selection of seemingly every apple variety available, while maybe more importantly: fall + apple season + holidays = lots of yummy apple dishes!

Though this is apple season, they can become so familiar, everyday, common and ordinary that we forget the uniqueness and beauty of the fruit. Here’s a refresher to celebrate the benefits your body especially gets to enjoy this season and every day, (based on research literature reviews, summaries and even the USApple organization.) Take a taste…and enjoy!

Apples are one of the main sources of dietary flavonoids (phytochemicals and antioxidants) which work to:

—Encourage long life, associated with overall better health
—Lower risk of cancer especially lung cancer – 21% in women
—Support overall lung health – lower risk of asthma and bronchial sensitivity and promote strong lung function
—Reduce risk of heart disease 13-22% reduced risk
—Protect heart and vascular health
—Cut risk of strokes:  Ohio State University reports eating one apple a day for four weeks lowered blood levels of oxidized LDL, the “bad cholesterol,” by 40%.
—Lower inflammation:  1 apple daily for 6 months lowered C-Reactive Protein 32% (Arthritis Foundation)
—Reduce risk of type 2 diabetes
—Help blood sugar regulation – This promising new area shows potential benefits in promoting the pancreas to produce insulin and activating insulin cell receptors to increase blood sugar uptake
—Promote weight loss:
• Those eating three apples (or pears) a day lost more weight with a reduced calorie intake than women who didn’t add apples (or pears) to their menus
• Granny Smith apples promote growth of “beneficial gut bacteria” because of their  high levels of fiber and antioxidants with their low levels of available carbohydrates, which may protect against obesity-associated disorders (Washington State University)
—Improve digestion and may boost immune system – Apples help increase good bacteria in the large intestine (Clostridiales and Bacteriodes, which help increase  butyric acid), which keeps the intestinal lining healthy
—May lessen Alzheimer’s symptoms:  Daily apple juice and/or even better, apple intake significantly improved mood and behavior among a group of patients diagnosed with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s

Other benefits may include liver protection and additional cholesterol lowering affect, improving HDLs, LDLs and triglycerides and cancer protection (based on rat/mice studies)

 

Want the most benefits from your apples? Eat the apple, with the peel.  Apple peels hold most of the fruit’s antioxidants (about 67%)

Juicing removes up to 90% of some antioxidants.

Choose organic. The Environmental Working Group’s 2015 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce rated apples #1 on their list of the “dirtiest, or most pesticide-contaminated” fruits and veggies for the 5th straight year. In 2016, they fell to #2 just behind strawberries. EWG’s analysts report, “Apples tend to have the most pesticides because of the chemicals applied to the crop before and after harvest to preserve them longer.”

So take a bite into your favorite apple, make your favorite seasonal apple dish, and try some new apple ideas this fall and enjoy the goodness in every bite!

and remember, share the benefits with a friend!

 

Resources available.

Cracking the Shell on Nut Myths…to Benefit You

nut benefitsStep out of the busy-ness with me into the crisp, fall air. Walking down the wooded path, dry leaves crunch beneath your feet, while brilliant reds, fiery oranges and bright yellows shout of the majestic beauty all around you. Sniff the smoke wafting from a nearby fire, calling you to its warmth in the chilly air. Ahh! The loveliness and coziness of fall…and the season where the generations before us took this time to go “nutting,” yes, the official term for “foraging nuts” for the winter.

Stepping back into today, we can get in on the harvest in a much simpler way at our local market and easily enjoy the delicious treasures anytime! Here’s a fresh look at a few of the old myths that often hide the nutrient-rich gems, full of some amazing benefits.

Myth:  Nuts will make me fat!

Actually…frequent nut consumption is associated with reduced risk of weight gain.

People who ate nuts more than 2 times each week were 31% less likely to gain weight than those who did not.

Myth:  Nuts are just full of fat.

Actually, yes, nuts are a concentrated energy source, but the fat and oils are essential to life. In addition to giving the body energy, these oils keeps you feeling full longer, are required to absorb some vitamins and make up each of our trillion cells’ membranes, our brain, glands, organs, and even our hormones.

—Some nuts give distinct types of oils, particularly walnuts! They provide a rich source of Omega 3s, which studies show can help to:
—Raise HDL “good cholesterol” and lower LDL “bad cholesterol”
—Lower blood pressure
—Reduce risk of blood clots
—Promote improved brain function
—Reduce inflammation throughout the entire body – asthma, arthritis, skin disorders, heart/blood vessels, etc. – lowering the risk of development of numerous diseases
—Improve moods
—Reduce depression
—Improve behavioral and attention disorders
—Help maintain mental clarity with aging
—Support brain development in children

In addition to oils that are essential to health, nuts also contain many other nutrients:

—high quality protein
—fiber
—vitamins, especially B’s & E
—minerals: magnesium, manganese, iron, zinc, copper, potassium and selenium
—very high antioxidant and phytonutrient content—pecans, walnuts and chestnuts rank highest in antioxidants of the tree nuts, although almonds and peanuts are also great contributors

 Myth:  Nuts don’t really have any health benefits.

Actually, in 2004, the FDA approved the first qualified health claim to be printed on walnuts, showing the relationship of nut intake with the reduced risk of heart disease.

Eating nuts 4 times each week showed a 37% reduction of heart disease compared with those who didn’t eat nuts and each additional serving, reduced heart disease 8.3%, increased vessel elasticity, and thus, vessel health by 64%.

Actually, additional studies show eating nuts may also:

—reduce the risk of strokes, developing type 2 diabetes, dementia, macular degeneration and gallstones
—lower inflammation and blood sugars
—improve blood lipid and triglyceride levels and insulin resistance
—fight cancer and lower overall risk, especially colon, endometrial and pancreatic forms (reducing risk by 24, 42, 32% respectively)

So, cozy up this fall and every season with a handful of nuts. Try to eat them daily. Choose raw or sprouted nuts when possible to give your body maximum benefits. Many of the roasted nuts add extra oils and sugars (usually not healthy in themselves), which when roasted at high temperatures can change their structure into forms that lower the benefits and even become harmful to the body. Look for nut butters without hydrogenated oils. Make them more easily digestible by soaking them in water overnight to start the life-giving process inside. This breaks down proteins into easily absorbed amino acids, increasing the protein content and making them easier to digest.

Here are a few nutty ideas to get these benefits “squirreled away” in your body:

—Sprinkle them on salads
—Add to whole-grain cereals
—Spread almond, peanut or cashew nut butter on celery, apple slices, whole grain crackers or bread
—Snack on them with dried or fresh fruit
—Munch on trail mix
—Make “nut spreads” by processing nuts with herbs & spices. Spread on large leafy greens, top with variety of sliced or chopped veggies and roll.
—Use them in desserts

Helpful? Pass the tips on to your family and friends.

 

References available upon request.

17 Reasons You Want Pumpkin for More Than Your Lattes and Décor this Season…and Always!

pumpkin-benefits PSL (pumpkin spice lattes) and pumpkin pies seem to win in culinary, pumpkin popularity from September through December, but you can pretty much find pumpkin-everything throughout the fall and winter season. Besides its comforting flavor, yearly traditions, warm holiday memories and versatile, creative tastiness, pumpkin is loaded with benefits for your entire body!  Check them out:

1- Supports vision: With 200% of the “Recommended Daily Allowance” (even though this is simply an estimate to prevent deficiency) for Vitamin A in the beautiful orange flesh, it can help with sight even in low-lighting situations.

2- Protects vision: Loaded with two antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, it can help prevent and slow the development of cataracts and macular degeneration.

Hormone support for men and women:

3- Men – Shrinks and prevents enlarged prostate:  Pumpkin seed’s phytosterols and zinc help support prostate health, shrinking an enlarged prostate and reducing urinary-related symptoms, even preventing enlargement.

4- Women – Improves fertility: Seeds rich in iron can help promote fertility.

5- Supports pregnancy and breastfeeding: Rich beta-carotene content converts to vitamin A, essential for hormone production during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

6- Reduces menopausal symptoms: Pumpkin seed oil is rich in natural phytoestrogens, which can significantly lower menopausal symptoms in post-menopausal women: lower blood pressure, hot flashes, headaches, joint pains and also increase HDLs (good cholesterol).

7- Fights anemia: As a rich source of iron, seeds can help maintain normal iron levels.

8- Aids in weight management:  Fiber in pumpkin (3-5grams/cup) slows down the digestion of foods, balancing blood sugar levels, and making you feel full longer throughout the day. It’s also low-glycemic and low-calorie, yet packed with flavor!

9- Keeps skin young and beautiful: Loaded with beta-carotene, its potent antioxidant effect not only protects from UV and environmental toxins, but helps skin cells exfoliate and rejuvenate.

Try a Pumpkin Mask: 1 Tbsp pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie), 1 Tbsp scrambled raw egg, 1 tsp raw honey, 1 teaspoon organic yogurt and a ½ tsp lemon juice. Mix, apply, let sit 20 minutes and rinse off with warm water.

10- Flushes out toxins: High potassium content makes pumpkin a natural diuretic, helping flush out toxins and unwanted waste from your body.

11- Builds Immune System: As one of the richest sources of carotenes and Vitamin A, combined with Vitamin C, zinc and other antioxidants, it works to boost immunity, fight infections, bacteria and viruses and…

12- Protects against cancer: Beta carotenes are excellent cancer fighters, especially against prostate, colon and lung forms.

13- Helps balance blood sugar: Pumpkin has been shown to reduce blood sugars and even increase the body’s insulin production, aided with its unique B-vitamin composition: B1, B3, B6, pantothenic acid, folate and other unique phytonutrients.

14- Fights Inflammation: Beta carotene in both the fruit and seeds can naturally protect against joint inflammation and arthritis.

15- Recharges after workout: Lots of potassium (more than in a banana!) helps aid in rebalancing electrolytes after a workout, keeping muscles functioning optimally.

16- Boosts moods: Pumpkin seeds also contain tryptophan, a natural mood booster that helps produce serotonin.

17- Improves sleep: Pumpkin seed’s tryptophan content boosts serotonin which converts to melatonin (sleep hormone), and has been shown to provide restful sleep and even improve insomnia.

 

So what kind of pumpkin will YOU have today? Get creative and make pumpkin and pumpkin seeds a regular part of your everyday life, not just during fall and holidays. For the most benefits, make your pumpkin choices low in sugar or sweeten naturally. As for seeds, choose raw then season (cinnamon, sea salt or spicy and savory with garlic and a pinch of cayenne) and toast them lightly yourself to maintain the most benefits from their nutrient-rich oils: 15-20 minutes at 160-170.°

Preparation Tips:

  • 100% canned pumpkin saves lots of time
  • Using fresh? Look for pie pumpkins vs. decorative ones for better flavor and results
  • Seeds – look for raw or minimally processed with sea salt

Pass on the pumpkin goodness to a friend!

What to do with Asparagus?!

garlic asparagus

Add some veg variety! Here are a few tips and variations:

1- Try fresh garlic

2- Invest in an oil mister bottle! Much cleaner and fresher oil than the commercial oil sprays

3- Use parchment paper for an easy clean up

4- Bake, broil or grill until just tender

5- Skip the tough, thick stems!

6- Sprinkle with just a touch of (Organic) Parmesan/Romano, IF you’re doing dairy. YUMMM!

 

 

 

 

6 Reasons Kale is Always IN

kale benefitsKale went from an almost “unknown” to practically overdone as a superfood in the past few years. However, it’s SO loaded with benefits, I think you can see why it truly will never go out of style! Check them out:

1–Gives more than 45 antioxidants to help lower inflammation throughout the body and boost the immune system

2–Protects from cancer as a primary food source of “glucosinolates,” which the body actually converts into cancer fighters, specifically against bladder, breast, colon, ovary, and prostate cancers

3–Supports  and improves detoxification pathways in the body, helping to remove toxins (environmental, products, pesticides)

4–Helps balance hormones by further supporting detox and ridding the body of harmful estrogens in both women and men

5–Lowers cholesterol – even when compared by research to cholestyramine (cholesterol lowering Rx). [Steamed kale may prove to be even more effective!]

6–Supplies lots of Vitamin K, which also reduces inflammation, supports bone strength and balances digestive health

Try some Mediterranean Kale Salad tonight…and share these tips with a friend!

 

 

 

References: Nutr Res. 2008 Jun;28(6):351-7. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2008.03.007, as on http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19083431 June 8, 2016.
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38

12 Secrets to Living Your Healthiest Year Yet: Week 3

Re-frame. Perspective. (hmm…stop and think on that a moment.) Could your Perspective change your Health? So many times what we see, feel or even experience in life is not a true reality. So often we look at life through colored glasses of our past, life experiences, family and cultural backgrounds, and many others. All of these lenses tend to shade, color and (quite often) distort our view. BUT, when we change our point of view, our perspective, it becomes a whole new ballgame.

As a formerly Type AAA person (I’m changing!!), it’s been easy for me to get incredibly task-focused, overly driven and onto the performance treadmill, missing the fun and enjoyment of the journey and daily life. BUT, as I slow down to breathe :), re-focus on what’s REALLY important to me, remember who I really am and just BE myself, pressure lifts, I can laugh at the perceived pressures, hamster wheel and even myself! Then, I’m free to enjoy the moment, seize the adventure and just have fun…and it’s a WHOLE lot less stress on the body!

Even exercise, re-framed, can really be FUN! I LOVE to be active, be outside and enjoy fresh air, but when the perception or talk of exercise, a gym, weightlifting or running 5 miles comes up, I cringe! Mention hiking, walking in outdoor beauty or playing tennis and for me, it’s no longer exercise but play! Funny, so often it’s all about perspective!

SO, with that in mind, here’s Week 3’s 12 Secrets to Living Your Healthiest Year Yet. Maybe all it takes for you will be a change of glasses to make these a reality and for your body to enjoy these benefits (and results!).  Plus, YOU get to have a lot more fun in the process!

6. Laugh!laugh friends health benefits

It affects the entire body, making it an essential and one of the most FUN components of wellness. Laughter strengthens the immune system, relieves depression, brings hope, boosts energy, oxygenates and detoxes body, reduces pain, offers benefits comparable to exercise, builds relationships, makes you more beautiful with a smile….and it’s free! A joyful heart really is good medicine. Lighten up. Don’t take life too seriously!

7. Be

butterfly transitions

Often, women especially, feel we must measure up…to standards of culture, Hollywood, social media, a career and more. That somehow we must constantly pe

rform, compete and look and act a certain way, keeping us on an exhausting hamster wheel.  Know you are OK just the way you are! Believe it and live from that place of actually liking yourself. It can be uncomfortable at first, but SO freeing! Just Be. Be free to be yourself. Not everyone will “get” you. That’s ok. That doesn’t change your unique, marvelous Divine Design, inside and out!

8. Exercise – errr Go Out and PLAY!play exercise

The “E” word … with endless benefits:  boosts the immune system, increases metabolism, relieves stress, improves moods, gives energy, strengthens bones, slows aging, removes toxins, promotes better sleep and regulates blood sugars – just to name a few.  Find something you really like to do … make it fun … and get moving!

 

Your turn! How can you Laugh, Play and BE this week? What 3 changes will you make?

1)

2)

3)

And be sure to share these tips that have helped you with a friend!

12 Secrets to Living Your Healthiest Year Yet – Week 1

2 Comments

Though we’re just days away from August, it’s not too late to still meet our health goals (resolutions) for the year. Yes, I know, most of them could be long forgotten, BUT there’s still hope! With 5 months left of 2016, there’s still plenty of time to make some real progress!!

16 years ago, facing my own health crisis, I finally had to come face to face with “what really is health?!”  With horrible cystic acne, miserable digestion and food sensitivities, fever and unable to work (and hardly even function!) for 3 months, extreme fatigue and a host of other symptoms, I knew health was waaay deeper than I understood or had been trained in college and professionally. Especially when doctors gave me an anti-depressant and told me to go live my life! Though I can’t share my full story here, I’ve been healed and my health restored. With it came a whole new understanding and appreciation of health, wellness and wholeness…as well as a tool chest full of gems I want to share with you to encourage and support you on your journey! …and hopefully make it just a little bit easier for you.

SO, whether it’s shed a few pounds, build some muscle, find the root issue(s) of symptoms that have bothered you for too long, “eat better,” lower your cholesterol, manage your blood sugars, or do a complete makeover… following these 12 steps can lead you into a whole new place of health! We’re so phenomenally put together that we just can’t separate out the physical, emotional and spiritual components of our lives. As we nurture our body, mind and spirit, and bring them into a place of balance, then we can experience full living and real health.

Now, let’s get back on track.  We’ll start with 2 biggies that make a HUGE impact. Be looking for what you can implement to help you towards your 2016 goals. Come on! You can do it!

1- Nourish – (Even I need a review on this now and again!)

Give your body the building blocks it needs for life and health. Explore nutrient-dense, delicious options that naturally eliminate lifeless, empty-calorie foods. Enjoy the beauty, benefits and endless possibilities of foods in their most natural form: lots of fresh, green leafy,  colorful veggies & fruit, nuts & seeds, good oils (omega 3s & coconut oil), beans, whole grains, and lean, quality (antibiotic & hormone free) protein. Add in flavor-packed herbs and spices, loaded with extra antioxidant and healing properties. Make the investment now and enjoy good health for a lifetime! It’s easier to “maintain” health than to “regain” it.

2- Detoxify your lifedetox cleaners environment emotions

Eliminate the “junk” from all areas of life.  This may be food, but think just a little deeper to household products and cleaners, synthetic bath and body products, pollution, clutter, unorganized stacks of “stuff,” a job you don’t enjoy, unhealthy relationships, etc. Going just a bit further, this even includes toxic emotions you’ve held on to—fear, guilt, bitterness, unforgiveness, shame, negativity and unthankfulness.  Let it go!  Work through the hurt. Let it heal. You won’t miss it and you’ll be healthier! This is a step you can’t rush…and it’s often on-going!

Two simple tips, yet very profound and FULL of healing potential, as you walk through the depth of what’s loaded in just these concepts. Much more to come on each of these in the weeks and months to come.

Now, it’s your turn:

  • What one thing will you do/add/change this week to nourish your body?
  • What one thing will you detox from your life this week?

Be looking for Week 2’s Secrets!

Want some personalized accountability and support for your goals? You don’t have to do it alone!