Life at its Best: May 2014

May 28, 2014

Romaine Lettuce- A Bread Alternative

Make a grain-free wrap with romaine lettuce. It does not have a very strong flavor, so it will not overpower what’s inside. Stuff it with grass-fed beef, antibiotic and hormone free chicken, more vegetables, or a meat mixture like the one in my Raw Walnut Tacos from my Clean Eating Recipe EBook along with avocado and other veggies!

Raw Walnut Tacos

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c. raw walnuts, ground in food processor
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 3/4 tsp. ground coriander
• 2 tsp. coconut liquid aminos
• pinch of cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients in food processor and pulse into a coarse mixture. Place in green leaf or romaine lettuce.

CLICK HERE for more cleaning eating recipes like this one.

Copyright, 2014, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.

www.optimumwellnessmn.com

May 26, 2014

How to Utilize a Nutritionist

Here are some things a nutritionist could help you with other than the typical weight loss support or making healthier food choices.

Meal Planning-How to plan, shop, and prepare meals.

Grocery Shopping

Accountability-Someone who is supportive and keeps you on track!

Ways to Increase Energy

How to Overcome Emotional Eating-This is a roadblock for most people. There are many other ways to deal with your emotions than with food.

Healthy Recipe Suggestions

Food Journal Support

What to Eat When Eating Out-You don't have to avoid social gatherings when eating healthy. There are many tips and tricks to sticking to your food plan!

Cooking and Kitchen Tips

Vegetarian Diet-How to get all the nutrients you need

Food Intolerances, Sensitivities, and Allergies

Navigating the Grocery Store

Transitioning from Conventional to Organic and Natural Foods

Supplement Questions

Food Label Reading

What is Juicing and How Do I Start?

Clearing Out Toxic Foods from your Kitchen and Cabinets (no temptation)

"Clean" up Your Favorite Recipes to Make Them Healthier

Copyright, 2014, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.

www.optimumwellnessmn.com

May 23, 2014

Getting Saucy this Weekend-Memorial Day Recipe

Many of you will be breaking out the grill just in time for the long holiday weekend! Here is a clean-eating BBQ sauce recipe for your burgers, ribs, steak, or chicken!

Homemade BBQ Sauce-(conventional BBQ sauce has added preservatives, refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup, MSG, artificial colorings, and sodium)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup xylitol syrup – see below
• 8oz organic tomato sauce or tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (Braggs)
• 1 tablespoon liquid aminos or tamari
• 1½ tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1-1½ teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Make the xylitol syrup first (below). Measure out about 1/2
cup and save the remainder for another use. Mix the rest of the
ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Add 1/8 – 1/4 cup of
filtered water to get the sauce to the desired consistency. Use over
chicken, as a steak sauce, on bbq chicken pizza (grain-free
crust), etc.

Xylitol Syrup

• 1 cup xylitol
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

Combine xylitol and water in a stainless steel sauce pot. Bring
mixture to a boil. Whisk in xanthan gum and return to a boil. Stir
until thickened and remove from heat and cool.

*Find more clean eating recipes here:

http://www.optimumwellnessmn.com/Recipes.html

I hope you have a happy, healthy, holiday weekend!

Be Well!

Jackie :-)

Copyright, 2014, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.
www.optimumwellnessmn.com

May 21, 2014

Tips for Making the Best Cup of Tea

Seems relevant since I am writing this from a coffee shop! :-)

DO choose a loose for optimal flavor. Generally speaking, loose-leaf tea is better quality than tea in bags. That’s partially because the tea leaves are larger and have more room to expand. For this reason, loose leaf can have more flavor than the small, packed-in leaves in most tea bags. Loose tea is also generally produced in smaller quantities by companies with an interest in creating unique teas with robust flavor.

DO fill the kettle up with cold water. Not hot — not even warm water.

DON'T bring the water to a rolling boil. Too-hot water can ruin the delicate flavor of the tea.

DON'T place the tea bag in a cup of hot water. For best results, pour the hot water over the tea bag.

DO follow the brewing instructions on the package if you're not sure. Remember that when in doubt, a little cooler is safer than a little too hot. Especially if you are like me and burn the top layer of skin off your tongue! LOL!

DON'T worry about whether the milk goes in before or after. Really, there’s no difference! Once upon a time, people liked to pour milk in the cup before adding tea to protect their fine china from the extreme temperature change. I love putting unsweetened vanilla almond milk in any of my herbal teas to make it into more of a chai!

DO let the tea brew for at least 6 minutes for the best taste and for at least 10 if you want a caffeine kick.

What kind of tea do you gravitate towards?

Copyright, 2014, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.

www.optimumwellnessmn.com

May 20, 2014

Body Lovin'

No matter where you are in your current health journey REMEMBER THIS:

As I spend more and more time at the personal training studio here in Minneapolis I am discovering that self love comes in all shapes, sizes, and walks of life. I have never been around as many hard-working and strong men and women in my life! Every person that walks through the door has a story, a loss, a struggle, a challenge to overcome. I've been working out next to clients who give 110% each session! They empower me to hit harder, move faster, and push myself to my own limits!

"It is a haven for real people – with real goals – to come and feel no judgment, no insecurity, and no shame. It’s an energizing escape overflowing with positivity and humility. It’s a place filled with thoughtful trainers and teammates who value individuality, recognize unique needs, and help each other achieve goals and celebrate great results. The environment: No mirrors, just a focus on fitness." - Bodies By Burgoon

I also came across this blog post today. It is a positive and inspirational display of self-confidence, strength, accomplishment, and body lovin'! Please take the time to read it! She is a positive role model and reminds me of all the beautiful souls who train at Bodies By Burgoon!

http://imperfectlife.net/ilovemyuglybody/

www.optimumwellnessmn.com

May 18, 2014

Nature Fills the Soul

"Nature always wears the colors of the spirit."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Such a beautiful weekend weather-wise! I was able to get out and enjoy it a little bit even though I worked most of the weekend. Took a bike ride Saturday evening and a long walk tonight. Feeling pretty grateful for this amazing scenery only 1 mile from my new home!

www.optimumwellnessmn.com

May 13, 2014

Calcium-Leave the Cows Alone

Dairy is rich in calcium but it's also difficult to digest and is missing it's companion mineral for bone health, magnesium. Most people also lack the digestive enzyme to break down milk in the body. Conventional dairy products contain growth hormones and antibiotics. Have acne? Ditch the dairy and your skin will clear up! Dairy products can also be constipating. The best choices for calcium are leafy greens, such as chard, spinach, and kale. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli are excellent as well as almonds and other nuts, all of which are also good magnesium sources. Calcium supplements are controversial because they can form calcium deposits in the body.

www.optimumwellnessmn.com

May 11, 2014

May Contest-WINNER

Thank you to everyone who entered my healthy vending machine contest! It was a hard decision but I finally have chosen a winner. Congratulations Tonya Hatland Cole! You WON! I loved what you had to say about finding a "happy medium" and your view as a clean eating newbie! Vending machines will hopefully be changing in the future! Ideally, we all know planning ahead and being prepared with your own stash of healthy snack options would better than getting anything out of a machine. Here is her entry:

"Although I'm sure all health addict's opinions of this machine is one of pure disgust, I think it has some good intentions. These choices "appear" to be healthier than the typical vending machine choices. But as we all know, looks can be deceiving.

As a person who struggles to eat healthy, I can appreciate that these options are slightly less damaging than the typical offerings. I think this machine is helping people such as myself take baby steps in a better direction. This may help keep people in a more conscious state of mind about what they are eating, even if in reality it is not the best. Also, if one chooses to purchase one of these convenience products they may (by deception) not feel like their whole diet was blown by one bad decision. As a result, the dieter might not go on a tail spin of binge eating because they decided their choice ruined their whole efforts.

Above all I can say that a vending machine that contained sprouts and coconut water does not appeal to me. I have yet to understand how people can drink pure coconut water! My taste buds have adapted to the added sugars and processed foods that rule most of our food supply. Eating super clean is a super struggle for me as it does not taste as "good". I try and sometimes I succeed and sometimes I fail.

This vending machine is loaded with added sugars and preservatives. But it does one thing: It offers juice instead of pop and baked instead of fried. It makes the consumer feel better about their bad diet choice so they can continue to march forward on the path to becoming a better and healthier person.

I don't usually stop at vending machines, but if I noticed a "lunchable" of veggies and dip I would stop and smile. When I saw the row of seasoned pumpkin seeds and almonds I would marvel. The fresh fruit such as a Honeycrisp apple would make me aww over what I was seeing, and if I noticed Hubert's lemonade or a natural green tea I would find myself slowly putting my hand in my pocket because I suddenly had a thirst that needed quenched or an appetite I needed to appease."

She will receive a protein shaker cup, a copy of my Clean Eating Recipe Ebook, complimentary 30 minute wellness consultation, and a $25 gift card to the local grocery store where she shops!! (Prize valued at over $100) Please contact me to claim your prize! I will need to know your grocery store pick and address! Thank you!

Copyright, 2014, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.

www.optimumwellnessmn.com

May 8, 2014

Mother's Day is This SUNDAY

Some last minute gift ideas. I think your Mom would love these!

-Local Organic Flower Bouquet

-60 Minute Massage or Manicure/Pedicure (check out Groupon deals if you are on a budget)

-Natural Skin, Body Care Products

-Natural Hair Care Products

-Essential Oil Perfume

-Homemade Card (made by YOU)

-Gift Card to her Favorite Store

-Clean Eating Recipe Books

-Fair Trade Jewelry

-Red Wine

-Fitness Equipment- Kettlebells, BOSU ball, Stability Ball, Dumbbells, etc.

-Yoga, Pilates, or Fitness Classes or BURST Exercise Training Sessions

-Organic Dark Chocolate Bar

-Unique Coffee Mugs From Etsy

-Handmade and Local Items From One of my Favorite Designers! She has funky bags and Minnesota Love Coffee Coozies!

Show some love to your momma! She is the reason you exist! ;-)

May 7, 2014

You Literally EAT What You Put On Your Skin

I had a phone consultation with a client Tuesday morning and she wanted to know what natural skin and body care products would be good to use. I encounter many people who eat organic and clean foods but neglect using natural products on their skin!! Here are a few of my top picks: (when I don't have time make my own)

Skin Care Line- Andalou Naturals (I just started using the new 1000 roses line 4 days ago and already can see the difference in my skin!)

Facial Serum- Herbal Face Food

Nail Polish- Mineral Fusion

Makeup- Zuzu, Hemp Organics Lipstick, Lotus Mascara

Facial Scrub- Derma E Microdermabrasion Scrub

Makeup Remover-Coconut oil!

Hair Care Products- Andalou Naturals

Body Wash-Andalou Naturals Mandarin Vanilla Shower Gel

Deodorant-Crystal

Lotion-Andalou Naturals Kukui Cocoa Body Butter

Sunscreen- Badger (lavender)

Toothpaste- Eco-Dent ExtraBrite Tooth Powder

Perfume- any essential oil!

**Please contact me if you would like to order any of these products or to set up a Toxin Consultation. 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com

Copyright, 2014, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.

www.optimumwellnessmn.com

May 6, 2014

My Menards Trip

As I stood in line at Menards yesterday to get some paint matched for my dresser I saw these sitting on the counter: A new Glade scent to add to paint to improve the smell.

I do not understand why they sell an artificial toxic scent to mask the smell of toxic chemicals in paint? It’s adding more toxins to an already toxic substance. They DO make chemical free paint. You just have to seek it out or ask for it! We used no VOC paint throughout our house in Brooklyn Park when I was married. No smell and it didn't sting my eyes or give me a headache! Always search out the more natural option whether it be skin care products, cleaning products, or anything else! Vote with your dollar- the more natural and organic products you buy, the more they will produce! They may cost more money from the start but you are investing in your health and the environment!

Here are a few non-toxic and eco-friendly paint brands:

Safecoat

Yolo

EcoTrend

Benjamin Moore Natura

Marston & Langinger
Mythic Paint
Devine
Green Planet Paints

Copyright, 2014, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.

www.optimumwellnessmn.com

May 4, 2014

Arthritis- Choose an Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Over Easter my grandpa asked me about what he could do to help alleviate his arthritis. I suggested to start with his diet since that would have the most significant effect. Most people underestimate the power of eating clean and nutrient-dense, whole foods. Here are three simple changes to make.

Removing the BAD FATS – Replacing them with GOOD FATS.

Bad fats such as hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils, Trans fats, soybean oil, canola oil and vegetable oils cause heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and chronic fatigue. Bad fats create chronic inflammation throughout the body inducing disease. Good fats are essential to hormone production, cancer prevention, brain development, weight loss, cellular healing, and anti-inflammation. Examples of good fats: raw nuts, seeds, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, grass fed butter, avocados, flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, fatty fish.

Change the MEATS that you EAT.

There are hundreds of studies that link commercial meats with cancer and heart disease. The grain fed to animals that were created to eat grass changes fatty acid ratios (too much omega-6, not enough omega-3) and denatures good fats, leading to modern day disease. The accumulation of commercial pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, and hormones in meats are causing a toxic onslaught, which leads to many cancers, neurological disorders and chronic illness. Grass fed and free range meats offer many fatty acids missing in the Standard American Diet (SAD) such as: CLA and Omega 3 fatty acids.

Remove ALL Refined SUGARS and GRAINS from your Diet.

This includes white rice, white pasta, and white bread. Hidden sources including: lunch meats, pizza, sauces, breads, soups, crackers, fruit drinks, canned foods, yogurt, ketchup, mayonnaise, etc. High glycemic or refined sugars cause elevated glucose, which elevates insulin leading to premature aging and degenerative diseases such as type II diabetes, heart disease (inflammation of the arteries), and cancer.

Sugar is an anti-nutrient offering insignificant amounts of vitamins and minerals and robbing your body of nutrient stores. This leads to diseases such as chronic fatigue, ADD, ADHD, heart disease, diabetes, and cancers.

Low glycemic carbohydrates in the forms of fruits and vegetables have high amounts of fiber; enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that help you age slower, improve energy levels, lose weight, and naturally detoxify your cells.

Want to learn more? Please contact me to schedule a wellness consultation or grocery store tour! 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com

Copyright, 2014, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.