Showing posts with label fruits. Show all posts

S'more Goodness


S'mores are a 4th of July staple for most families! Here are a few things to use/add to make them a tad bit healthier! 

Organic dark chocolate bars: http://us.greenandblacks.com/organic-85-dark-cacao-bar.html

Grain-free graham crackers: http://powerhungry.com/2015/01/easy-paleo-graham-crackers-gluten-free-grain-free-almond-flour/

Refined sugar and artificial coloring-free marshmallows: http://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/healthy-marshmallows.html

Fruit: Bananas, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, apples.

Nut butters: Almond, peanut, cashew, macadamia, etc.

Even more protein and fiber: Chopped nuts and seeds!
Copyright, 2017, 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 nutritionist 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.

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GMO Produce: How Do I Tell?

I give my client this when I do grocery store tours. (Among many other resources) Here is a photo that shows how to tell if your produce item is conventional, genetically modified (GMO), or organic! 


Why avoid GMO's? I talk about this is a previous blog:
post: http://www.jackieamart.blogspot.com/2012/11/gmos-what-you-need-to-know.html


 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
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30 Day Smoothie Challenge-Are You Ready?

Are you up for a challenge this month? 

 One simple way to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables is to incorporate smoothies into your diet. Making a smoothie every morning as part of a daily routine can dramatically improve your health! 

Smoothies are blended drinks that combine leafy greens with fruits, veggies and healthy fats, such as almonds, hemp seeds, flax and coconut. Popular leafy greens include spinach, kale, rainbow or Swiss chard, mint, parsley and collard greens. I prefer to use all fresh, raw ingredients, but using frozen fruit creates a thicker, ice cream-like texture.

 Health Benefits of Smoothies:

 *Provide you with the full spectrum of nature's bioavailable vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants
*Give you plenty of natural fiber to ensure excellent digestion
*Increase energy
*Weight Loss
*Help empower your immune system to protect you from illness

 Take my challenge! Drink one smoothie each day for 30 days and I guarantee you will see and feel the difference! 
I have created a Smoothies Made Simple Ebook which includes 30 of my favorite smoothie recipes that are gluten, soy, and dairy-free! 30 recipes equals one for each day of the challenge!

All you have to do to participate is to purchase the Ebook on my website. Click below and scroll down on the page! 


I would love to hear some testimonials after you finish your challenge! You can even post photos and comments on my Facebook Page throughout the entire 30 days. Each person who completes the 30 day challenge and writes a testimonial will be rewarded with a GENEROUS gift! You must post comments, pictures, and a testimonial in order to qualify for the gift! 

 Need some accountability? Forward this to a friend and complete the challenge together! 
*Challenge ends on 3/31/14. You can start at any time as long as you complete it by the end of March! You must consume 1 smoothie per day for 30 consecutive days. 



If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. 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
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Third Graders Define Healthy Living

Today I had the opportunity to be the guest storyteller in Mrs. Schnell's third grade classroom at my old school!! I read aloud one of my childhood books, The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food. 




We talked about what healthy food is and what we should use to "fuel" our bodies! They were very active participants and had some great answers to my all my questions! We even did a few short BURST exercises  and discussed exercise and sleep.  Then we created collages of healthy foods and other things we talked about! I have my BA in elementary education so this was right up my alley! Start teaching your children about health now so they grow up living a healthy lifestyle! As you know our habits develop at a young age. Be sure to set the example! Here are a few photos of their collages.











Copyright, 2013, 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.
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The "Real" Food Pyramid

I get numerous questions from people asking what they need to eat be healthy.  I hate the term "diet" and feel it should never be used. I prefer "healthy and clean eating."  You can go ahead and ditch the standard food pyramid that promotes ridiculous amounts of carbohydrates from starchy grains and promotes inflammation, not to mention grains turn into sugar in the body within 4 seconds of consumption!!  Start following these recommendations and I guarantee you will look and feel amazing!! Organic is best! And also be sure to drink half your body weight in ounces of purified water a day!

Vegetables and Herbs: 5+ servings a day


Fruits: 2-5 servings a day



Raw Nuts and Seeds: 1-3 servings a day

Beans and Lentils: 0-2 servings a day
















Sprouted whole grains: 0-1 servings a day

Meats (grass-fed) , fish (wild caught), and raw dairy: 1-3 servings a day





Red wine, dark chocolate, other treats: 0-1 servings a day/sparingly :-)














Copyright, 2012, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness MN, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or jackieamart@hotmail.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.
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Grocery Store Shopping Tips!!

Plan your meals for the week ahead of time and create a list to shop from. Be sure to check your refrigerator and cabinets to see what you already have!

To save money, use coupons, check the weekly grocery ads, and incorporate sale foods into your meal planning.


Don't shop hungry: An empty belly often results in impulse purchases that may not be the healthiest.


Produce: Spend the most time in the produce section, the first area you encounter in most grocery stores (and usually the largest). Choose a rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables. The colors reflect the different vitamin, mineral, and phyto-nutrient content of each fruit or vegetable.

Breads, Cereals, and Pasta: Choose the least processed foods that are made from whole grains. For example, regular oatmeal is preferable to instant oatmeal. But even instant oatmeal is a whole grain, and a good choice. Experiment with different grains and flours besides wheat such as: Quinoa, Amaranth, Teff, Almond flour, Tapioca Flour, Bean Flour, Brown and Wild Rice, Bulgar, Barley, and etc.

When choosing whole-grain cereals, aim for at least 5 grams of fiber per serving, and the less sugar, the better. Keep in mind that 1 level teaspoon of sugar equals 4 grams and let this guide your selections.

Meat, Fish, and Poultry: The American Heart Association recommends two servings of fish a week. Salmon is widely available, affordable, not too fishy, and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Be sure to choose lean cuts of meat (like round, top sirloin, and tenderloin), opt for skinless poultry, and watch your portion sizes. Tuna and other non-breaded seafood are also good choices.

Frozen Foods: Frozen fruits and vegetables (without sauce) are a convenient way to help fill in the produce gap, especially in winter. Frozen fruits can be added to smoothies!!

Canned and Dried Foods: Keep a variety of canned vegetables, fruits, and beans on hand to toss into soups, salads, pasta, or rice dishes. Whenever possible, choose vegetables without added salt, and fruit packed in juice. Tuna packed in water, low-sodium soups, nut butters, olive oil, and assorted vinegars should be in every healthy pantry. It is best to avoid too much packaged and processed “convenience” foods though!!

Be sure to add some raw nuts and seeds to your cart for protein too!


5 Simple Shopping Rules

1. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store, where fresh foods like fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat, and fish are usually located. Avoid the center aisles where junk foods lurk.

2. Choose "real" foods, such as 100% fruit juice or 100% whole-grain items with as little processing and as few additives as possible. If you want more salt or sugar, add it yourself.

3. Stay clear of foods with cartoons on the label that are targeted to children. If you don't want your kids eating junk foods, don't have them in the house.

4. Avoiding foods that contain more than five ingredients, artificial ingredients, or ingredients you can't pronounce.

5. Shop every 3-4 days for freshness!
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Smoothies!!!!

I have been making and eating alot of raw food/green smoothies lately!! I pretty much combine whatever I have in my refrigerator or freezer. Here are some of the things I randomly throw into my Magic Bullet Blender any given day: 


water
lemon juice 
cranberry juice 
tart cherry juice 
frozen acai berries
kale 
collard greens 
spinach 
beets 
daikon radish 
carrots 
sprouts 
dandelion greens 
blueberries 
strawberries 
banana 
raspberries 
cherries 
apple 
dulse 
garlic 
spirulina 
chlorella 
greens powder 
plant protein powder 
ground flaxseed 
fish oil  

All these ingredients are nutritional powerhouses!! Green smoothies are very beneficial to the body! 

-full of vitamins and minerals, antioxidants 

 -help with inflammation 

 -a stronger immune system 

 - increase mental clarity 

- less 'brain fog' and better memory

 - better digestion and absorption of nutrients 

 - effortless and healthy weight loss 

 - clearer skin and brighter eyes 

 - liver and kidney support through detoxification

 - cravings for sugar, salt and fats decrease 

 - energy increases, less need for sleep 

 - blood sugars are naturally stabilized 

 - your body's natural PH balance is restored to more alkaline levels  

-have cancer-protection properties and the list goes on and on!!

 I challenge you to experiment and see what you can come up with! Drink up!! :)
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