4 Stress-Stopping Snacks

By Mary Langfield, Certified Holistic Health Coach dedicated to increasing awareness to improve your health and outlook on life.

Tell your typical comfort foods to hit the road and opt for these healthier snacks when faced with your next bout of stress. Instead of mac and cheese, chips, or other fat and carb-heavy foods, choose an easy snack that will leave you feeling healthier, lighter, and happier. Think of snacks as mini meals that allow you to maintain your energy. 

For the best bang for your buck, choose a combo of protein + fat + carbohydrates. 

This combo will keep you satisfied and energized longer. Mix up the recommendations below.

1. Berries: These flavorful fruits, such as blueberries, are loaded with vitamin C and high in antioxidants and fiber. Just one cup of berries provides all the disease-fighting antioxidants you need in a single day, boosting your immune system during the cold season, promoting cell health, and combating stress. Berries also quell future hunger pains, thanks to their high fiber content that leaves you feeling full long after you eat. 
2. Almonds: These super snacks are loaded with a slew of healthy vitamins and mood-enhancers such as vitamin B, zinc, and vitamin E. They also cleanse your body with antioxidants and heart-healthy fats. 
3. Yogurt/Kefir (Plain, Unsweetened): Whether fresh or frozen, yogurt is a great alternative to other creamy impulse-eats such as ice cream because it offers your body a helping of probiotics (active live cultures that help to balance your digestive system and inhibit toxin-producing bacteria in your body) while uplifting your mood with a hearty helping of tryptophan, a chemical that aids the creation of the fog-clearing and mood-enhancing chemical serotonin. 
4. Lean Proteins: Resist the fried chicken and fries and have an egg or some low-fat cheese as a snack instead. Lean protein is great for maintaining a healthy mood because it helps to stabilize your blood sugar, which fluctuates when you’re under stress. 

Still crave something sweet? Eating a little dark chocolate everyday can actually be good for you, keeping cholesterol down and reducing the risk of clogged arteries.

If you’re interested in learning more about how little changes to your routine and diet can transform your life into something happier and healthier, contact me today to learn more about holistic health coaching!

Want to Feel Better? Go Nuts!

By Mary Langfield, Certified Holistic Health Coach dedicated to increasing awareness to improve your health and outlook on life.

Did you know that all nuts are seeds, but all seeds are not nuts? Even crazier, a nut is actually a fruit, according to Merriam-Webster. Although the nitty-gritty of scientific classification may not be a page turner, the health benefits of these small edibles is definitely worth learning.

Many nuts, such as walnuts, are an excellent source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, a type of fat necessary for brain cells and mood-lifting neurotransmitters to function properly, and can even help some people with depression. (Other foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, sardines, flaxseeds, and omega-3 fortified eggs)

Nuts are also high in phytosterols (substances that lower your cholesterol naturally) and contain potassium and magnesium, both of which help lower blood pressure.

And let’s not forget that nuts are delicious, add tons of flavor, are easy to add to dishes, and great for snacking!

Top 5 Seeds and Nuts to Lower Cholesterol:

·         sunflower seeds

·         pistachios

·         pumpkin seeds

·         pine nuts

·         whole flaxseeds, freshly ground

Instead of your typical midafternoon snack, opt for almonds for a great source of protein and calcium that keeps your energy going and lifts your mood.

Looking to add more calcium to your meal without relying on dairy? Sesame seeds are a good source of calcium. Just sprinkle them onto your typical salad or greens to add a health boost to your meal.

Who would’ve thought going nuts could feel so right?!

Do you have a favorite snack or meal involving nuts or seeds? Share your fresh idea!

Want to use this article in your Ezine, Blog, or Website? 

You're welcome to share this article! When you do, please include this compete blurb:

"Would you like to learn more about how increasing your awareness of basic diet and lifestyle changes can have tremendous positive effects on health and outlook on life? Check out my website, marylangfield.com, for more resources or to schedule an appointment and learn how health coaching would work for you. Start believing in yourself and seeing results!”

The Dark Secrets of Artificial Sweeteners

By Mary Langfield, Certified Holistic Health Coach dedicated to increasing awareness to improve your health and outlook on life.

Do you use artificial sweeteners in your coffee or tea? Do you enjoy diet drinks and diet foods? Most of us have opted for things labeled “diet” to avoid the typical high-calorie sweeteners in drinks and foods. But what if I told you that you can be addicted to artificial sweeteners and that they might be causing you to eat more food or gain weight?

Cutting back or eventually eliminating your consumption of artificial sweeteners may lighten your mood, remedy some of your health problems, and may even result in weight loss.

In her book The Diet Cure, author Julia Ross, M.A., explains that “more than ten thousand aspartame [common artificial sweetener] users have reported over one hundred adverse symptoms, compiled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They include everything from menstrual changes, weight gain, and headaches to severe depression, insomnia, and anxiety attacks.”

Have your cravings for sweets and fatty foods (and possibly your weight) increased with your aspartame use? Ross explains that the connection between eating more unhealthy foods, gaining weight, and consuming artificial sweeteners has been confirmed through several studies in both animals and humans.

What’s worse, when you consume aspartame, the fake sugar’s ingredients are actually in competition with tryptophan, blocking its conversion into the "fog-clearing and mood-enhancing chemical serotonin.” This means that diet sugars may actually be preventing you from feeling positive and having a clear mind.

Next time you reach for your typical artificial sweetener or diet soda, consider going without the sweetener or replacing your diet soda with hot water and cleansing lemon oil from Young Living Essential Oils instead. You may just find that in time you start to find your mood elevating and your waistline shrinking from these easy diet adjustments.

I’ll leave you with this encouraging quote about Richard Simmons:

“In 1996, Richard Simmons, the diet and fitness guru, announced that he had given up diet sodas after years of addiction and suddenly lost ten pounds.” If that’s not a success story, I don’t know what is!

Are you interested in learning more about healthy living and ready to have more energy and feel better? Schedule a Nutrition Breakthrough with Me Today!

Basic Dietary Reminders

Everyday I try to be the best I can. It certainly isn't always easy, but the better I feel the more likely I am able to be a caring and compassionate person.

Here are a few of the things that can help anyone feel better, look better and be better.

1. Avoid hydrogenated oils, preservatives, artificial colors
2. Do not overeat, it overloads the digestive system. Instead eat until about 80 % full (this can be a hard one)
3. Eat organic, grass-fed animal foods in moderations
4. Drink around 6 - 10 glasses of pure water. Most of use overeat simply because we are dehydrated
5. Eat only when you are calm and hungry. The body needs to be able to focus on digesting
6. Eat whole foods as much as possible - meaning avoid eating foods that are prepackaged
7. Eat as many none starchy vegetables as you like
8. Chew chew chew - digestion starts when you look at your food and then start to chew it. Chewing your food well puts less pressure on the stomach to try and break up the food later.

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Everyone needs a laugh...

This is probably my new favorite show! This seems to be the 1st episode so keep on the lookout for more after January 21st 2011. I haven't been to Portland, but I have always wanted to go. Maybe someday. Check out this silly episode and see if it makes you laugh. Sometimes I feel like a freak when I ask so many questions about the food I am about to order at a restaurant, but usually I end up sticking to veggies to keep it simple.

Wonderful World of Apps

Are you a lover of cereal? Are you confused about what kinds of cereal to eat? I used to be too (Peanut Butter Captain Crunch was my fav as a child) and in fact I rarely eat prepackaged cereal and instead opt for  brown rice farina. However, if you love cereal check out this cool little app you can add to your iPhone called Cereal Scan.

I am hopeful that this app means that more apps like it will be coming along the horizon. Though if we all ate out of prepackaged items less we would all feel better, look better.
I'm a fan of real food that takes a bit of time to prepare. Consider these other breakfast ideas:

Idea 1

Idea 2

Idea 3

10 Diet Pitfalls to avoid during the holidays by Julia Havey

I wanted to share this little blurb I got in my inbox today. I think it has some nice tips!

10 Diet Pitfalls to avoid during the holidays by Julia Havey Turn the Tide Foundation Board Member, and  author - The Vice Busting Diet andAwaken the Diet Within

You have two choices this holiday season. ONE: to choose to remain steadfast in your commitment to improve your health and fitness and that of your family. Or TWO: to give into the temptations that will come your way. By choosing #1, you willplan ahead so that you come through the holiday season more healthful than you went in to it! For all those choosing choice #1, continue reading and together we'll get you and your family through the holidays happier and healthier. For those choosing #2, we'll, see you in January when you start back on your "diet", upset with yourself for not sticking to your resolve!

1) Don't bake Holiday cookies. If you bake them, you're likely to eat them. If you don't want the temptation to ruin your healthy way of eating, don't bake them. But if you must, bake them, wrap them up, and give them away that very day. Your kids won't live deprived childhoods, your mailman will still like you, and the teachers will probably actually use the gift certificates you give them instead!

2) Don't plan your celebrations around food. Focus instead on creating lasting family memories – have the children 'interview' the older members of the family and you'll learn stories from their lives that will carry on as family legend for generations to come.

3) Prepare your meal "light". Stuff the turkey with herbs, fruit and onions instead of breaded lumpy stuffing! Serve a hearty whole grain rice dish rather than mashed potatoes. Steam green beans with a touch of savory olive oil in the water, no butter. Serve whole grain rolls and make your pumpkin pie with stevia and egg whites.

4) Drink water as your beverage of choice at gatherings. Say "NO thank you" to high calorie cocktails and enjoy a glass of club soda with lime. Keep the calories and hangovers at bay!

5) If you are fretting over not being able to wear a size smaller 'little black dress' or tuxedo...not to fear! How you walk in the room, your posture, your confidence, your smile will be remembered by others long after the memory of what you wore fads. Your attitude and smile matter far more than the shape of your body or the style of your clothes, and keep reading!

6) Take time each day to do something positive for yourself. Exercise is a great stress buster. Be sure to get a minimum of 30 minutes of high intensity cardiovascular exercise at least 4 times a week. Enjoy the outdoors - go sledding, ice skating, cross country skiing--anything physical will be time well spent.

7) When going to a party, call the host and offer to bring a healthy dish. The host will thank you for your generosity and need never know that your ulterior motive is to insure that you will have at least one healthy item for you and your family to eat!

8) School parties - if you are the room mom for your child's class party, get creative! Take an apple for each child, toothpicks and construction paper. 1) Cut feather shapes out of the paper and glue to the toothpicks, 2).stick them into the apple for the turkey's feathers, 3) .use brown to make a turkey head, 4).black to make feet, and tada! - .you have a healthy treat! Arrange a kid-a-thon....walk the school track to raise money for a local charity. You'll provide memories that will last much longer than cupcakes can dare to dream of.

9) Don't add stress to your life. The holiday season is about enjoying traditions with your friends and family and helping those less fortunate, not about buying the perfect gift or having the perfectly decorated home. Consider donating to a food bank or giving toys to children in need. Life is what you make of it....make it great for others!

10) Stay on track. Keep this phrase in mind, "everywhere you go....there you are!" You do not go on vacation from your body; your body does not distinguish a holiday from any other day. Your system thrives on fruits, vegetables, protein, whole grains and water, so make a pledge to yourself to limit the highly processed, high calorie foods this year. You'll thank yourself tomorrow!

Happy and healthy holidays!

Food Criticism: What are you eating?

I was inspired today to talk about how to deal with unwanted, unwarranted food criticism. This morning I received an email from a client asking for help. It seems like her family, co-workers, and others are interested in her food choices. By interested I mean to say scared, by her unprocessed whole foods. This challenge is something I also deal with a lot. Does this sound familiar? I try my best to keep my food opinions to myself (as much as possible) because I have had a lot of negative experiences myself. It isn't always easy when dealing with family. You want what is best for them whether they are interested or not. And ever since I started eating wholesome foods I feel AMAZING and I want to share. However, I think I am a lot better at keeping to myself these days than I used to be. Of course, sometimes before I even see what someone is eating they think I am judging them (I am thinking of my family). It is a drag. No one wants to be a downer. So on to the irksome question.

What are you eating? followed with a face of disgust or a loud eew sound. Really are we five years old again? I totally get it. I like my food and you like yours. I want to eat loads of veggies, grass-fed meats that were raised humanly without anti-biotics,  and raw butter & cheeses. I enjoy eating whole grains that I get out of the bulk aisle that take a bit more time to prepare, but I feel better eating that kind of fiber. These foods do not have marketing executives backing them. No one is making huge amounts of money off of broccoli. If you have ever read anything by Michael Pollan you know that he suggests that you avoid anything that has to be marketed to you, anything that needs convincing (say Coke with vitamins). However, if you enjoy a breakfast of Pop-Tarts and Cherry Coke to get you going. Then by all means enjoy. At least you are eating breakfast.

Here is an example from my life. Head to the work refrigerator and bust out my lunch. Heat it up at the microwave and while I am waiting for my healthy green soup to cook someone looks at my lunch and makes disgusting sounds about what I am about to eat. Their eyes start bugging out of their head, a curled lip, and overall distain for what I am about to eat. It doesn't have to be soup, it could be hummus, seaweed, sardines, kale or whatever leftovers I had. Then comes the next question.

Why are you eating that? I would explain that my homemade soup, hummus, seaweed, sardines, kale or whatever is not processed and full of unwanted sugars, chemicals, artificial flavors, etc...it is also tasty and fulling. Of course, they are not listening they instead either change the subject or zone out. Why did they ask?

So how do I handle the questions?

• I turn it around and ask them what they are eating? I try to focus on the other person, everyone likes to talk.
• I sometimes joke that I am eating tree bark, leaves, roots...and then slip in what I am actually eating, which seems normal in comparison.

So the question for you dear readers: How would you advise my client?

Tell me if your food choices ever get heckled and how you have learned to deal with it? I would also like to know how you create a safe space with others to talk about food choices.

Food Habits

So I just finished reading a rather relevant article in the NY Times called Parenting and Food: Eat Your Peas. Or Don’t. Whatever. BY Frank Bruni.

As a diet and lifestyle consultant I thought that this NY Times article was very interesting. It reminded me of what I went through as a child & adolescent growing up. One minute I was told I just needed to lose 10 lbs and then the next I was told I was exercising too much and that I looked perfect the way I was.

Food is a touchy subject and people are so confused about what healthy food is (processed vs. not), how to prepare, the price of good food is higher than junk food, people are no longer eating meals together as a family - it is easy to understand why kids these days are headed toward obesity. Every parent has an opinion on what is the best method for inspiring your children to have health eating habits. What are yours?

Check out the article here.