Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts

Coconut Oil Fudge


COCONUT OIL FUDGE  

INGREDIENTS: (all organic if possible) 

1/4 cup coconut oil  
1/4 cup cocoa powder  
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
Stevia to taste 
Pinch of sea salt 
Optional: 2 drops peppermint essential oil  

DIRECTIONS:  

  1. Measure 1/4 cup of coconut oil and scoop it out into a mixing bowl. Whip the coconut oil with a stand or hand mixer until it’s light and fluffy. Note: If your coconut oil is room temperature and already liquid you can skip this step. 
  1. Mix the whipped coconut oil, cocoa powder, vanilla and salt together. Slowly add stevia.  Mix in 2 drops of peppermint essential oil if using. 
  2. Pour fudge into a 9×5 inch pan (this is a bread size pan). Spread fudge evenly cover the pan with a lid or plastic wrap. Refrigerate until fudge is set and hard, about 4 hours.  




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.



www.OptimumWellnessMN.com
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Sugar High





After all these classes I've been giving on sweets and sugar I spotted this! I want to point out just because something is organic or at the natural health food store does NOT mean it is necessarily good for you. This hot cocoa boasts a whopping 14 grams of sugar per serving! That is equal to 3.5 teaspoons of sugar.  The first ingredient on the food label is cane sugar.  Something to take note of this winter when you are looking for a hot beverage to warm you up!! Try my Paleo Hot Chocolate Recipe.
If you would like to learn more please contact me to schedule a grocery store tour at the local store where you shop! Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com or 712.790.5883
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.



www.OptimumWellnessMN.com
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10 Gifts for the Health Freak on Your List

You're Welcome! :-D

 1. Fitness Studio Class Passes

 2. TRX Suspension Trainer

 3. Clean Eating Cookbook

 4. The Plant Paradox Book

 5. Foam Roller

 6. Rope-less Jump Rope

 7. Touch-Screen Running Gloves

 8. BE Brand Headbands

 9. Vitamix Blender

 10. Yoga Pants with Pockets



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.



www.OptimumWellnessMN.com
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Home for the Hol-ED-days


The holidays have never been my forte.  SO MUCH FOOD... LOL!  Food has been my "frenemy" for many years. Those who struggle with self-love and eating disorder tendencies can relate. 

 Holidays can easily cause high anxiety for us. Those dreaded comments from relatives you haven't seen in forever... "You need to put some meat on your bones."  "Why aren't you eating what we eat?" "You are looking healthier." "Have you lost weight?" "You can afford to load up on more sugar cookies!" These comments may seem innocent, but to someone recovery from an eating disorder they can spark feelings of shame, guilt, and cause our thoughts to spiral out of control .  I know most people do not fully understand what goes on inside our heads but please make an effort to think before you speak. I would be rich if I received a dollar every time someone told me to, "just go eat a cheeseburger" over the past 16 years.  That is one of the WORST things you could say to a person who is struggling with their weight or negative body image.  Words DO hurt. If it were a simple fix no one would have it! 

 Part of my life purpose and mission is to raise awareness about this deadly disorder which is not talked about nearly enough! Mental illnesses have a stigma attached to them. 

 Here are a few frequently asked questions from the National Eating Disorder Association website: 


 Are eating disorders a choice?
Eating disorders (EDs) are complex medical and psychiatric illnesses that patients don’t choose; they are bio-psycho-social diseases. Several decades of genetic research show that biological factors play a significant role in who develops an eating disorder. A societal factor (like the media-driven thin body ideal) is an example of an environmental trigger that has been linked to increased risk of developing an eating disorder. Environmental factors also include physical illnesses, childhood teasing and bullying, and other life stressors. EDs commonly co-occur with other mental health conditions like major depression, anxiety, social phobia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Additionally, they may run in families, as there are biological predispositions that make individuals vulnerable to developing an eating disorder.

 Are eating disorders really that serious?
Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness. Besides medical complications from binge eating, purging, starvation, and over-exercise, suicide is also common among individuals with eating disorders. People who struggle with eating disorders also have a severely impacted quality of life.
Aren’t eating disorders a ‘girl thing’?

 Eating disorders can affect anyone, regardless of their gender or sex. Although eating disorders are more common in females, researchers and clinicians are becoming aware of a growing number of males and non-binary individuals who are seeking help for eating disorders. A 2007 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that up to one-third of all eating disorder sufferers are male, and a 2015 study of US undergraduates found that transgender students were the group most likely to have been diagnosed with an eating disorder in the past year (Diemer, 2015). 

 It’s currently not clear whether eating disorders are actually increasing in males and transgender populations or if more of those individuals who are suffering are seeking treatment or being diagnosed. Because physicians may have preconceptions about who eating disorders affect, their disorders have generally become more severe and entrenched at the point of diagnosis. 

 Can someone be too young or too old to develop an eating disorder?

 Eating disorders can develop or re-emerge at any age. Eating disorder specialists are reporting an increase in the diagnosis of children, some as young as five or six. Many eating disorder sufferers report that their thoughts and behaviors started much earlier than anyone realized, sometimes even in early childhood. Although most people report the onset of their eating disorder in their teens and young adulthood, there is some evidence that people are being diagnosed at younger ages. 
It’s not clear whether individuals are actually developing eating disorders at younger ages or if an increased awareness of eating disorders in young children has led to improved recognition and diagnosis. Men and women at midlife and beyond are being treated for eating disorders, either due to a relapse, ongoing illness from adolescence or young adulthood, or due to the new onset of an eating disorder.
*If you have any other questions or would like to some suggestions on what to say and what not to say to your loved ones, please reach out! I'm an open book and would like to help in any way I can! 

Source: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org


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.



www.OptimumWellnessMN.com
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Haunt: To Have a Disquieting or Harmful Effect On


There are many triggers I encounter on a daily basis which lead me back to a place where I would rather not be.  (My eating disorder haunts me). 

 This morning I got up at 5:00 AM to make the 6:00 AM cycle class at Cyclebar in Uptown Minneapolis.  There was a very thin girl positioned a few bikes down from me.  I have no idea if she was just naturally thin, had health issues, or an eating disorder (You can NEVER make assumptions just from someone's appearance) but I saw my former 103 pound self sitting there on that bike... My mind flashed back to my rail thin days.  Attending multiple fitness classes a day along with running and biking outdoors the same day use to be my norm.  Part of me wished I was tiny like her again and the other half of me was thankful I am not! My physical body looks different now than my sickly disordered former self.  Gaining weight has been the most frustrating and humbling thing about recovering from an eating disorder.  Everyone else talks and posts about their weight loss while you have gained... It's one of the toughest mountains I've been climbing the last few years along with battling some digestive issues. Some days I feel like a warrior and others, well, not so much....

 I felt compelled to share this photo of me on Halloween dressed as a red Skittle. It popped up as one of my Facebook memories and I wanted to add it to this post.  I remember my friend Leighann taking this photo of me at her house party. I felt bloated and fat that night but as you can see I was far from it! (body dysmorphia at it's finest)


I admit I still have work to do mentally with truly loving and accepting myself as I am and hope my story inspires others who may be struggling!  Remember to take one day at a time and surround yourself with people who lift you up! It makes all the difference! 

 Sending you love and light! 

 Jackie <3



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.



www.OptimumWellnessMN.com
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Happiest of Holidays From Me to You




If only it was that easy! LOL!  Wishing you and yours a very, Merry Christmas, and a Happy, HEALTHY, New Year!! Thank you for following and supporting me on this crazy awesome journey of mine!

Love-

Jackie
XOXO
Copyright, 2016, 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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Jackie's Health Tip of the Week- 11/27/16





Try to stay consistent with your workout routine during the holidays. Don't fall prey to the excuse that you'll get back on track after New Year’s Day or when the weather warms up again. You may need to modify your program for the busy holidays. Do what you can, but keep it up, trying new fitness activities and cross training to keep things fresh and fun. My favorites: snowshoeing, ice skating, cross country skiing, snowboarding, BURST training! (HIIT or Interval Training).  Browse Groupon for cycle and group exercise discount passes or search free workout videos on YouTube you can do at home!  



CLICK HERE to check out my next 5 Day Self Love Online Boot Camp in December to stay on track with your health and wellness goals this holiday season! 






Copyright, 2016, 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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Jackie's Health Tip of the Week- 11/13/16



Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away! Here is a quick holiday tip for you: 
Don't stand by the food at the party. You will be less likely to partake in unconscious snacking all night if you instead move, mingle and socialize with friends!! Or, ladies, carry a clutch in one hand and a beverage in the other- your hands will be full and that leaves no fingers for nibbling on the sweets!



 CLICK HERE to check out my next 5 Day Self Love Online Boot Camp in December to stay on track this holiday season!





Copyright, 2016, 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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Give Back





Every year I adopt a family or child over the holidays.  This year I'm focusing on giving back in my local neighborhood.  I would love for you to join me! I will be donating unwrapped gifts to the Crisis Nursery's Holiday Helper Program from now until December 19th. (More details below) Make a donation and you will receive $10 off any of my single services or packages as an added bonus!   *Scheduling a service is not required in order to make a donation! CLICK HERE to view the services I offer. 




Holiday Helper Program 2016



Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery's Holiday Helper Program supports families who access our services during the winter season of giving.  Gifts received from the Holiday Helper Program are distributed to families based on their specific needs and what has been donated. Gifts are given to families beginning on Friday, November 25, 2016 - Friday, December 23, 2016.

Wish List for Families

New toys including educational activities, and games for children newborn through age 6.
Gift items for parents such as kitchen items, personal care items, winter accessories.
Gift cards for $25 or more to retail stores such as Target, Wal-Mart, etc.
Holiday wrapping paper, bows, and tape
Large black garbage bags.

Important Information

Nearly 90% of the families are of minority status.
Items that promote cultural diversity are encouraged.
THEY CANNOT ACCEPT GIFTS THAT:

Promote violence (Guns, war action figures, etc.)
Require batteries (Many families cannot afford to replenish batteries)
They also cannot accept religious-themed gifts or wrap (Santa, Christmas, etc.)
Please do not wrap gifts.

CONTACT ME with questions, if you would like to schedule a service, or join the event on Facebook.


Copyright, 2016, 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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