Global Wellness Day 2023

“One day can change the rest of your life!”

This is the inspiring mission behind Global Wellness Day that was initiated in 2012 in Turkey, a day dedicated to living well. Now, Global Wellness Day is celebrated globally on the second Saturday of June, it falls on the 10th this year.

Do you believe that one day could really change the rest of your life?

Let’s start by looking at the LEAN pillars of wellness, Lifestyle Exercise Attitude and Nutrition:

Lifestyle How we live, this means healthy living without smoking, excessive alcohol, or other unhealthy substances. It also relates to prioritizing what is important to us, and reducing the things that take away from the life we would like to create.

ExerciseHow we move, it is recommended that we get 150 minutes of moderate activity per week, or 75 minutes of intense activity. For most people, that can look like 30-minute brisk walk 5 days, or two 20-minute HIIT workouts in the week along with 3 days of brisk walking or hiking. Of course, the options are endless, and you might want to try something new to activate new muscles like swimming, pickleball, yoga, boxing, and the list goes on. Exercise stimulates brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which associated with cognitive improvement and the alleviation of depression and anxiety.

AttitudeHow we think, focusing on the positive. Techniques that can help with emotional wellbeing include mindfulness, stress management, and strategically subtracting stressors that are not enhancing our life. Practicing mindfulness and meditation can reduce stress and anxiety and improve our mental health.

NutritionHow we eat, a plant strong, right fat diet. Like Michael Pollan says in his book, Food Rules; Eat food, not too much, mostly plants. Eating a balanced diet can improve our mood, boost our energy levels, and help us maintain a healthy weight. Consider preparing your own food since cooking at home also stimulates the creative centers in our brain and boost confidence. Check out some simple recipes here

The idea behind Global Wellness Day is to raise awareness about the importance of living a healthy and balanced lifestyle. After all, the day encourages people to take a break from their busy lives and focus on their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. It is a reminder that we all need to take care of ourselves if we want to live a happy and fulfilling life.

 

What might be the first step in your personal wellbeing that would make an impact for you?

Want to connect and plan together, reach out for a complimentary consultation at:

Springtime Health Tips

As the days get longer and the temperatures start to warm up, it‘s time to start thinking about how to get the most out of spring. Here are some health tips to help you make the most of the season:

 

1. Get Moving: With the warmer weather, now is the perfect time to get outdoors and get your body moving. Take a walk, go for a bike ride, or just get outside and enjoy nature. Exercise not only helps improve your physical health, but it also has mental health benefits.

 

2. Eat Seasonally: Eating seasonal produce is a great way to get the most out of the season. Spring is a great time to enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season. Eating seasonally can also help reduce your environmental impact.

 

3. Get Enough Sleep: With the changing temperature and the longer days, it can be tempting to stay up late and get less sleep. Getting enough sleep is essential to good health. Aim for at least 7-8 hours every night.

 

4. Stay Hydrated: As the temperatures rise, it’s important to stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day will help keep your body and mind functioning at their best.

 

5. Take Time to clear the decks and do some spring cleaning for your mind. If you are feeling overwhelmed and bogged down by clutter in your mind, it can be difficult to focus and make decisions. Clutter can cause stress and anxiety and make it hard to enjoy life.

 

Fortunately there are some simple steps you can take to clear your mind and declutter your thoughts.

 

First – practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of being present and aware of your thoughts and feelings without judgment. When you become aware of your thoughts, you can observe them without getting caught up in them. Spend some time each day in quiet reflection and focus on your breath. This will help you to become more mindful and present in the moment.

 

Second –  write down your thoughts. When your mind is cluttered, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the different thoughts running through your head. Writing down your thoughts can help to organize them and make them easier to process. This will also help you to identify which thoughts are important, and which can be dismissed.

 

Third –  practice self-care. Taking care of yourself is essential for mental health. Make sure to take time for activities that you enjoy and that relax you. Take regular breaks throughout the day to release stress and clear your mind. Finally, practice gratitude. Beginning or ending your day with gratitude is a wonderful way to keep the positivity flowing as well. What are you grateful for right now?

 

For more information, or to design a mindful self-care plan for yourself, reach out in the contact form and let’s chat!

Diversity Isn’t Just for People!

Plant diversity holds the keys to abundant health! Do you find yourself eating the same handful of fruits and veggies every day? I love me some carrots, apples, cucumbers, and peppers, but recently I’ve been alerted to the importance of getting a much wider range of colors and types into my diet. It turns out that whoever eats the most diverse plant diet wins in health! Mainly because our gut microbiome craves the variety of plants and fiber to feed the good gut bacteria. Even our brain health and most of our immune system is a result of the environment in our bowels and intestines, crazy right!

Does it give you a bloated feeling talking about plant diversity because of the thought of extra fiber creating gas? Following are some practical steps that you can start taking today to gently add diversity and fiber to your diet. Go slow, you can heal your gut, and work up to eating a fiber rich diet over time.

3 Ways to get more plant diversity in your diet

First Make your Salad in Jars – they will keep in the fridge for 5-7 days if you don’t mix in the dressing, keep it on the bottom until you are ready to enjoy. Also, they are very pretty and seductive when you open the fridge!

Instructions:

  • Layer in order starting with 2 Tbsp dressing at the bottom of the jar, then add:
  • Hard veggies like carrots and tomatoes
  • Fruit like berries or apples
  • Greens
  • Top with seeds or nuts
  • My favorite dressing is Balsamic Curry Dressing that works great as a dip or marinade as well. To make just whisk together ¼ C EVOO, ¼ C Balsamic vinegar, ½ Tbsp curry powder, ½ Tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp brown sugar.

Second Enjoy Soups – this is a great way to pulverize and disguise tons of veggies!

A family favorite of ours is this Ginger Carrot Soup

Instructions

  • Slice 7-8 large carrots thinly
  • Dice a medium onion
  • Chop half of a head of cauliflower
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 Tbsp freshly ground ginger
  • Sauté in 3 Tbsp butter or EVOO with 1 tsp salt, do not brown, just soften for a few minutes.
  • Add 4 C broth or miso
  • Add juice of 1 lemon
  • Simmer for 20 minutes
  • Puree and serve with fresh herbs – Enjoy!

Third is to include Plant Based supplements

To increase the amount and variety of plants in my diet I rely on plant-based supplements. This helps me have the assurance that I am checking all the nutritional boxes every day. Look for products that have been tested in people, and that meet the highest purity safety standards. The one that I use is Juice Plus and you can check it out here:

https://suzylewis.juiceplus.com/us/en

I hope that this is some practical information for you to digest. You are are not alone in this journey to optimize your health. If you would like more help customizing a plan that will work for you, please reach out to schedule a consultation!

 

Heart Health for 2021

February is Heart Health Month, and did you know that you have a third brain and it’s your heart???? Wow! Another amazing role that our heart plays in our life! This brain is the microbiome of your heart and is responsible for sending neurotransmitters and chemicals that talk to the rest of your body. So, let’s focus on some simple steps that you can implement right now to dramatically assist your heart in making all of its responsibilities…

Of course, self-care is important in heart health, but what does that really mean? There are three areas to focus on in your daily routine that will greatly impact your ticker.

    1. Exercise most days of the week for at least 20 minutes. Sitting is the new tobacco and we have become increasingly sedentary during the current pandemic. In our new normal we must implement a regular movement schedule in order to schedule longevity. What does this look like for you? For some of us, we need to make an appointment in our schedule for activity, it doesn’t have to be much, just enough to get your heart rate up for 20 minutes. This will stimulate your body to make its own heart medicine, in the perfect amount for you!
    1. Eat your Omega essential fatty acids, they’re called essential because our body needs them, but we don’t make our own. Some great sources of Omegas are wild caught Pacific salmon, flax seeds, walnuts, and sea plant life like algae. In fact, fish don’t make the Omegas either so try to use plant sources to help the massive slaughtering of marine life over the fish oil industry.
    1. Address unresolved stress in your life, ignoring stress is actually harming us a lot! It costs US businesses 300 billion per year in lost productivity and medical costs! That’s just a monetary effect of stress, the real loss is in health-related complications. First, do a brain dump of all the things that are floating through your mind, just right them all down… Relationships, work demands, clutter, pain, health issues, weather, the pandemic – get it all out. Now take your list and sort the items into categories of deal with, delegate, or can’t do anything now. The mere act of doing this will decrease the stress and help to get it out of your working brain space. For a more detailed assessment of your stress, you can take the Stress Quotient here: https://shinehealthllc.com/health-coaching/

Even though your friends and family love you with all their heart, no one can do these things for you. It’s up to you to make time in your busy life for these simple steps that everyone will thank you for. Let’s think about what’s at risk if you don’t, loss of energy, productivity, and vitality. What is the first step that you will take today? I’d like to share my weekly wellness tips with you to help keep you accountable, for free! Just text heart health to (970) 235-1324.

What makes your heart sing? I hope that you will pay attention to that and make room in your life along with these tips!

Best of Health!
Suzy

Healthy Tips for 2021

A new year like none other, we all need a refreshing change in 2021 after the longest year ever! Health is in the forefront of all of our minds as we reflect on the lessons from the pandemic. A new vaccine, a new president, or more stimulus money is not going to change the course of our health, only we can do that for ourselves. And guess what? You are the only one who will do that for you, well, maybe your mom.

We are going to focus on ways to take control of your health through the food that you EAT, the ways that you MOVE, and the thoughts that you THINK! This year let’s be…

Intentional instead of reactive
Empowered instead of dependent AND
Fueled by Superfoods instead of sticky ones

What if we make your home into a health club, and your kitchen a pharmacy? Here are some ways to pre-load your immune system, kind of like making your own immunity pill. The first way is through food!

I believe that nutrition is a path to nourish our body and soul. Food is medicine and these are some of the top health promoting foods that you can get into your diet easily EVERYDAY! If you see something on the list that isn’t a favorite just remember that we can change our taste buds to like a new food by introducing it several times. This works for kids too, our gut brain likes these foods, and it has more willpower than our head brain, so have faith and keep on trying.

Citrus Fruits – They bring a burst of immune boosting vitamin C, magnesium and flavor to your life!
Red Bell Peppers – Rich in beta-carotene and help to prevent damage to the retina of your eyes.
Crucifers – Think crunch like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussel sprouts, and cabbage, your secret weapon that can neutralize carcinogens and hunt cancer cells.
Ginger – A natural remedy for digestive distress, especially useful for nausea during pregnancy. Try adding it to hot water with lemon for a flavorful and soothing tea.
Spinach – Popeye, need I say more? Think iron, calcium and so mild and easy to add to almost anything.
Blueberries – The brain and bone berry, rich in essential nutrients like manganese and a great addition to smoothies.
Green Tea – proven to be beneficial for brain health, heart health and decreasing some types of cancer.
Eggs, shellfish, and nuts – all rich sources of zinc which is important for proper immune function.

Americans are cooking more than ever at home, and 44% have learned a new recipe and 32% have attended an online cooking class throughout the pandemic. The kitchen can be a source of joy, creativity, gratitude, and a gateway to abundance health. One way to combine many of these superfoods is to make a smoothie, here’s a simple recipe to try…

The Sipping Solution

10 oz unsweetened plant milk
10 oz water
1 Tbsp natural almond butter
1 C spinach/ kale mix
½ C frozen blueberries
Plant protein powder
1 tsp fresh ginger
¼ small lemon

Blend and sip throughout the morning for a gut balancing, immune boosting smoothie!

I’m not going to harp on the fact that you need exercise, but you do need to get at least 20 minutes most days of activity to help your body make its own medicine tailored to your specific needs. A really fast workout that is also effective is the HIIT system of exercise. It stimulates fat burning and doesn’t take a lot of time. Find your favorite studio and I bet they have a website with some at home workouts that will make you sweat, and it gives you such a mood boost!

How about supporting your mental health in 2021? Worry and stress weaken the immune system. Stress causes businesses $300 Billion in lost productivity and medical costs each year and is a contributor to 60% of all disease. Start by looking at areas of unresolved stress in your life. Just the process of identifying a stressor can begin the process of dealing with it. First, make a list of the things that you are tolerating, you know those roadblocks in your mind that are sucking your energy. Next, sort them into three categories; your action list, your delegation list that someone can deal with, and the list that there isn’t really anything to do but it helps to just get it out so that it frees up mental space. If you want to dig deeper into this area, reach out to do the pinpointed stress assessment that also tells you where stress is affecting your health markers.

What if you really do decide to draw a line in the sand this year and 2021 becomes a pivotal time where you changed the course of your health through your habits? Ponder these facts and make a plan to implement the ones that resonate with you. Being intentional in this way is empowering and will make you less reactive. By harnessing the power of our own body through lifestyle, nutrition, and stress management, you can get the upper hand and make huge lasting changes that will affect you FOREVER!

You can do this and I’ve got your back! Visit me at www.shinehealthllc.com to get fun recipes and more tips to move your health forward.

Cheers to a healthy 2021 my friends!
Suzy

 

Recipe: Vegan Pumpkin Crockpot Chile

Vegan Crockpot Pumpkin Chile – Serves 8

Suzy Lewis

This will warm you up and get you ready for a night of handing out treats or partaking in the trick or treat tradition. Make ahead and serve with corn bread for a hearty festive meal. Great for parties too and everyone can top their own chile with custom toppings!

Ingredients:

1 onion chopped
1 red or yellow bell pepper chopped
½ C chopped carrots
1 (15oz) can black beans
1 (15oz) can pinto beans
1 (15oz) can kidney beans
1 (15oz) can diced tomatoes
½ C vegetable broth
½ C frozen corn
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
1 Tbsp chile powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil

 

Instructions:

  1. Chop veggies, rinse and drain beans
  2. Sauté onion and peppers in olive oil until softened
  3. Add all ingredients to crock pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours
  4. Serve with avocado, dairy free sour cream, and hot peppers if desired. Great with cornbread as a side!

 

Nutrition Facts per Serving:
Calories: 184
Fat: 3.2g
Carbs: 31.9g
Fiber: 8.9g
Protein: 8.6g
Solium: 802mg

Recipe: Multicolor Kale and Curry Salad

Natural Cures for Cancer

Nutrigenomics And What It Means For You

Food and You

We human beings are walking stories of chromosomes, genes and many intrinsic internal networks that work together in harmony to create our tastes, preferences, likes and dislikes, character traits and personalities as know it. Research is still being conducted into understanding genes and their role in our everyday lives and nutrigenomics which specifically studies how what we eat affects our very genetic makeup is actually a young offshoot of this branch of science.

It’s possible that you may have been following a diet prescribed to you for years and you’ve still not been able to reach your target weight in spite of following it religiously. Or you may have a food allergy to certain types of nuts whereas other variants are absolutely ok. If such ‘food mysteries’ have been puzzling you for some time now, then it’s quite possible that nutrigenomics may be able to point you in the right direction of understanding your body and health better.

What’s Nutrigenomics

It’s an in-depth analysis in order to understand how the food we eat has a direct impact on our genes which in turn decide how we absorb nutrients from the same food. By studying the relation between genes and food closely, the impact of nutrition on biomarkers and diseases can be better understood.

What’s in It For You

  1. You’ll have a better understanding of different food types that actually help your body and those that simply don’t.
  2. It can help uncover hidden intolerances to food components such as gluten, lactose and decode other food allergies.
  3. Everybody’s body is different and undergoing a nutrigenomic profile can help you understand what will help you keep the extra weight off and what food groups may actually be poisonous for you.
  4. Nutrigenomics can help you understand what kind of diet you need to follow and if your body has any particular nutrient vitamin or mineral deficiency. Getting an actual diet that has been tailormade to suit your genes best will give you great results too.
  5. If you’ve always wondered why you crave certain foods all the time, nutrigenomics can help you understand eating patterns a lot better.
  6. Often, you may be the carrier of certain genes which may cause lifestyle diseases like obesity, diabetes, pcod etc and you will be able to learn how what you eat affects cholesterol levels, metabolic rates and sugar levels in the body.

Food is more than just about taste- in fact, it can play a pivotal role in healing illnesses, building immunity and boosting your health, without your having to reach out for prescription medicine. With more research being conducted in nutrigenomics, the day is not far when you can heal your body from within before you even feel the symptoms of a lifestyle disease.

If you’re ready to understand  how what you eat can truly nourish and protect your body, then you are ready to take your first step on a fulfilling journey to total wellness. Fill in the form today and let’s get started on this journey together!

6 Pumpkin Health Benefits I Bet You Didn’t Know

 

This orange squash usually makes a grand appearance at most American households during Halloween and Thanksgiving but adding this veggie to your diet every week would give you so many health benefits. Here’s a fact that fitness enthusiasts will love- pumpkin health benefits also include giving your body plenty of fiber and being low in calories because of its high water content.

Let’s look at 6 pumpkin health benefits you could be missing out on:

Regulating Blood Pressure Levels

Pumpkin has plenty of Vit C and potassium which play a role in keeping the heart healthy and heart functions better regulated. More potassium means lower chances of stroke, better blood pressure levels and healthier bones. The antioxidants found in it help to stop bad cholesterol from forming deposits along the walls of your blood vessels.

Antioxidant Storehouse

Pumpkin health benefits include giving your body a host of vitamins and minerals which boost health, not to forget its radical fighting properties like alpha- carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin. Plus, its natural orange shade is thanks to the presence of beta-carotene which helps to protect you from prostrate cancer and keep your eyes from degenerating.

Fight Diabetes

Pumpkin seeds help the intestines to absorb glucose better besides helping the liver function more effectively. Pumpkin health benefits also include lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes and helping the body absorb sugar more slowly thereby helping you avoid the sudden spike in blood sugar levels that are dangerous.

Immunity Booster

Kids often have a problem with low immunity and one way to improve that is by including pumpkin in their diets. Pumpkin health benefits include Vitamin A which helps to fight infections and Vitamin C which helps to heal wounds faster. Vit E, iron and folate are three other nutrients that each help to boost immunity.

Diet Friendly Veggie

Pumpkins are low in calories and here are a few tasty ways in which you can enjoy them:

  • Puree a cup of pumpkin and add it to your regular pasta cheese sauce. You’ll enjoy the richer flavors.
  • Blend pumpkin and add chicken stock and veggies to it for a hearty flavorful soup. Great for long winter nights and for keeping calories in check.
  • The next time you bake a cake, add a cup of pumpkin puree to the batter as well- it’s a good way to up your fiber intake.
  • A good way to begin the day is by enjoying a stack of pumpkin pancakes drizzled with cinnamon syrup.
  • Dice pumpkin into small cubes and lightly roast them with salt and herbs. You could also add the seeds too for some crunch.

Give You Radiant Skin

Can a veggie actually make you look better? Well, apparently one of the pumpkin health benefits include protecting sensitive skin cells from long-term UV ray damage and enabling the skin to produce more collagen which keeps it looking youthful and healthier.

Interested to know which vegetables can give your body the most benefits? Simply spend 5 minutes of your time to send me an email and we can kick-start your journey to perfect health!