10 Superfoods To Try Today!

So lately, I've been listening to one of my favorite raw nutrition experts, David "Avocado" Wolfe. He was my favorite speaker while I attended Integrative Nutrition in NYC. He has so much enthusiasm when he speaks. It is evident he is crazy about nutrition and how food affects our body. 

I encourage you to check out his Youtube videos, his books and his websites, www.longevitywarehouse.com and www.davidwolfe.com. He is a wealth of information that is both enlightening and life changing. 

Just because he lives a raw lifestyle does not mean that you need to adopt one too. When I was first exposed to David Wolfe, I thought I need to go raw cold turkey. So naturally, I went for it. I'm kind of all or nothing. 
(I grew up eating meat and potatoes for dinner and maybe some mixed vegetables.)
My diet was mostly raw and I rarely ate cooked food or meat. I got a few raw food cook books and explored soaking nuts and seeds and making different recipes. 

Eating this way definitely slimmed me down and I lost fat, but I was hungry more often, needing to eat at least every 2 hours. Over time, I felt like I had less energy. Looking back, I now know I needed to supplement with more super foods and plant sources of protein. 

I consider myself to be a protein type and tend digest protein easily. 
However, when I ate mostly raw fruits and vegetables and nuts and seeds, I felt lighter and not so foggy. My thinking was sharper and my skin was clear and vibrant. I also had less overall bloating since I was not consuming bread or dairy. 

My sugar cravings were also far less and rarely ate or craved sugar. 
One of the awesome things about eating raw is you can consume raw cacao about as often as you like. I would put it in my smoothies, mix with goji berries and make it with desserts.    

Raw cacao is beyond good for you. It is uncooked and loaded with nutrients like iron, magnesium and manganese. Nutrients that most Americans are already deficient in. So yes, chocolate is excellent for you, but the raw, unrefined kind. 

The term "super foods" are all the rage right now. Adding these to your diet would be better than taking a multivitamin. Here is a list of the super foods you can start adding into your diet without going 100% raw. 

1. Goji Berries

2. Maca

3. Bee Pollen

4.  Spirulina

5. Cacao powder  and/or nibs

6. Mucuna 

7.  Chaga  Mushroom

8. Reishi Mushroom

9. Camu Camu Berries

10. Crystal Energy  - add it to any liquid. 

I could give you a list of why you should try these out but I think you would learn so much more from his website and his YouTube videos about why these are such important super foods. Plus, he knows much more about them than I do. His website also has plenty of recipes with the above superfoods. I mostly use them in smoothie or drinks.
 

Getting Rid of the dreaded baby "pooch"

We recently celebrated my daughter's 2nd birthday. When they say time flies...it really does. I remember thinking, surely I will be back to my pre baby body by then. Well, I'd say I am weight wise and probably more in shape than before (with more muscle too : D ). 

Problem is...when I sit, my stretched out skin hangs over my pants and it's REALLY annoying. You can't tell this when I am standing, just sitting. Awesome. 

I've done 2 ultimate body applicators. I wanted to lose the weight through eating healthier and exercise. I've been a good girl eating well and with consistent exercise. AND for about a year now. 

Pre-baby I had the flattest stomach with amazing ab definition. Post baby I had 3 finger widths of abdominal separation (diastasis recti). I've been faithfully practicing pilates and the correct exercises to close it back up. 

A month ago I had had enough so I decided to wrap again. I took a before picture with the "sit" test. Six hours later I took an after picture sitting with the same pants. I'm extremely pleased with the results. In fact, I think I'm going to wrap again. 

At this point it's so hard to tell if it's fat or stretched skin (or both-haha). The wrap is made of cloth and contains organic herbs and botanicals that break up the fat cell through detoxification resulting in well hydrated, tightened, toned and firmed skin. Thus, we have FAT loss. Not water loss. Who knows how long it would have taken me to work that off....and with the holidays coming I'm not about to say no to a slice of Pumpkin pie or some delicious egg nog.

{{Huge Grin}}

I'm just thankful for all natural and safe products like these that help amp up my hard work. 

So here it is! My before and After: 

Steph's Clean Eating Tips....for lookin' lean & mean!

• Avoid MSG (monosodium glutamate).  Be aware of it's MANY hidden names. For more information, click here. Yet another trusted source of mine and great article! 

• Avoid anything that says reduced and/or low-fat. Sugar is replacing that low fat taste. 

• Limit sugar...almost completely. Trust me, after a while, you won't miss it. 

• No white flour. There's nothing about it that is even remotely okay about it. 

• Avoid high fructose corn syrup and agave like the plague. For more info on HFCS by a trusted source, read this awesome article.

• Avoid artificial sweeteners. Healthier options are stevia, coconut palm sugar and honey. Sometimes applesauce or a banana mashed up in whatever you are baking is sweet enough too.

• Avoid foods that are in the gluten free aisle. They are really just processed junk foods. It is possible to live a gluten free lifestyle without purchasing gluten free products. I do it!

• Do not consume homogenized or pasteurized dairy products. Vat pasteurized (lower temp), grass-fed dairy products are the best choice and easiest for you to digest. These are the two sources I trust. Kalona and Picket Fence Creamery. 

• If you don't have access to organic, grass fed, raw, or non-homogenized milk, then skim milk is your best choice. The hormones and pesticides are found in the fat of dairy. 

• Always eat your carbs during the early part of your day so you have the rest of the day to burn it off.

• If you're going to indulge in your favorite dessert, eat it with your lunch.

• Try to eat your favorite carbs with animal protein and a cruciferous vegetable for minimal fat storage. 

• If you're going to consume coffee, be sure it is organic. Coffee beans are heavily sprayed with chemicals and pesticides. Go for the organic dairy and liquid stevia to sweeten!

READ, READ, read the ingredient list on everything you purchase. I cannot emphasize this enough. Do NOT bother reading the front of the box. Look at the ingredients list. 

I'm sure I am missing something. When it comes to mind I'll just keep adding to the list. This is a good list to get started with. If you find it overwhelming, start with one or two things and gradually implement into your daily lifestyle. 

I'd love to hear your feedback and if these are already a part of your life, I'd love to hear about it! 

How to eat for blood type B

My daughter happens to be a this blood type so this is definitely a good refresher of what foods are best for her and which ones I should avoid for her overall health. 

Blood Type B's are considered strong and vigilant and are able to resist most diseases. 

Their weaknesses are immune system disorders, multiple sclerosis, and chronic fatigue syndrome. 

To avoid weight gain, B' will especially want to avoid buckwheat, corn, lentils, peanuts and sesame seeds. 

Tomatoes can irritate the stomach lining and should be avoided. 

Consuming an excess amount of chicken can lead to immune system disorders. 

A B type will thrive on deep ocean fish, excluding shell fish. 

This is the only blood type that can thrive on a variety of dairy products. 

Below is a detailed list of beneficial, neutral, and avoid foods:

Tips to boost your metabolism

Okay, so you've heard over a gazillion ways to boost your metabolism. Do this. No, don't do that! Which is right? Which is wrong? Who do I listen to?? What really works? 

I've put together my favorite (top 12) metabolism boosting tips. Some of these are quite popular, and I think they are great advice. They are a combination of my favorite and most respected experts in the field of health and wellness. 

I follow these for myself and have had great success with them. I hope you do too! 

1.  First thing in the morning, drink warm/hot water with lemon. Stay hydrated throughout the day by drinking water with lemon. 
2. Exercise before eating breakfast.
3. Take a greens supplement/eat more greens-the darker the better.
4.  Lift heavy...weights. Forget the 2 and 5 lb weights. Go for 15 or 20 lbs! 
5.  Eat every 3 or so hours. Avoid feeling "starved". Stop eating after 7 or 8 pm or at least 2 hours before bed time. 
6. Stabilize your blood sugar levels.
7. Eat foods for your type. 
8. Get a massage.
9. Consume healthy fats.
10. Swap coffee for green tea.
11. Get plenty of rest. In bed by 10pm. Our bodies get REM from 10p-2am.
12. Try Ultimate Thermofit. (ok I don't recommend turning to supplements as a last resort, but they work GREAT when combined with the above tips.) For loyal customer pricing, please contact me. 

Eating for Blood Type O

Since I am a blood type O, I've done lots of research on this type and know much more about it!

A little about type O:

• Blood type O is one of the most common blood types. 
• O's are well equipped to digest meats as they have a high amount of hydrocholoric acid content in their stomachs. 
• Two groups of foods that are not beneficial to O's include dairy and wheat. 
• People with blood type O tend to have lower  levels of thyroid hormone which can lead to weight gain. 

How to eat for Blood Type A

The Blood Type Diet was founded by Peter D'Adamo, a naturopathic physician, author, and researcher-educator. According to D'Adamo, type A's do best on a vegetarian type diet. 

More and more Americans are dying from heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. This may be because type A's do not digest meat well as the acid content of their stomach's tends to be lower than other blood types.

It could also be that we are not eating food that is meant for our genetics. Have you ever wondered why some people suffer from vitamin deficiencies that other's don't? Consuming food that does not sync well with our genetics can cause dis-ease and nutritional deficiencies. 

This may be why you can't seem to lose weight. You are not eating according to your individual type. 

Below is a guideline beneficial and avoid foods for A's:

NOTE: While this may work great for some people, this is not to say you can't ever have that avoid food. I believe in experimentation and, of course, everyone is different. Our genetics are all different. Listen to your body, start a food journal to help figure out what is best for you. 

Ok, so I had a chart but it was way to big. If I went down one size, then you couldn't read it. 
So here is the info, but not in chart form. I just want you to have the info so you can use it!

Beneficial:

Cod, Mackerel, Red Snapper, Trout, Salmon, Sardine, Whitefish, Yellow Perch

Flaxseed & Olive oils

Peanuts & Pumpkin seeds

Beans (adzuki, Black, Green, Pinto), Lentils & Black eyed peas

Amaranth & Buckwheat

Sprouted Bread (Essens & Ezekial), Rice cakes, Oats, Rice, Rye & Soba noodles

Garlic, onions, broccoli, carrots, collard greens, kale, spinach

Artichoke, chicory, dandelion, swiss chard, leek, romain, okra, 

alfalfa sprouts, tofu & turnip

Blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, cranberries, plums, prunes & figs

Pineapples, cherries, apricots, grapefruit & lemon

Tamari, miso, soysauce, ginger & molasses

Aloe, Echinacea, Green tea, slippery elm, Red wine & coffee (1 cup each/day)

Neutral:

Chicken, cornish hens & turkey

Yogurt, mozzarella, feta, goat cheese, goat's milk, kefir, ricotta & string cheese

Canola & cod liver oil

Avoid:

Beef, pork, lamb, veal, venison & duck

Anchovy, bass, catfish, caviar, clam, crab, eel, flounder, haddock, halibut, herring, lobster, mussels, octopus, oysters, scallops, shrimp & squid

Oil of corn, cottonseed, safflower & sessame

Brazil nuts, cashews & pistachios

Beans - garbanzo, kidney, lima, navy & red

Any kind of wheat products, granola, grape nuts, wheat germ, 

seven grain & wheat bran

Bread (whole wheat & multi-grain), pumpernickel, white & whole wheat flours

Peppers, olives, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, 

eggplant & mushrooms

Melons, cantaloupe, honeydew, mangoes, papaya, bananas, coconuts,

 orange, rhubarb & tangerines

For more information on eating for your blood type, click here.