Do it for yourself!

My job requires me to make a good first impression.  I literally see hundreds of new people each event I work.  I have to be able to "friend" these people that I don't know within minutes and convince them they want to party with me.  When it comes to first impressions-looks matter.  You know the saying "don't judge a book by it's cover", well that only applies if you want to read the whole book, not if you happen to come across the book on the way out the door.

I would venture to guess that the majority of people do not have jobs like mine.  Many people are surrounded by family, friends and co-workers that they see on a regular basis.

It dawned on me the other day that I look at the people in my life a lot different than I look at myself.  Wouldn't you agree that you accept your friends (and co-working friends) and family for who they are?  I never think "they should loose a few pounds" or "they really are getting a little crazy with those dorritos".  In fact, unless they are spiraling down a very unhealthy path or are not happy with themselves, I never think about the way my friends and family look--that's just who they are.  Of course, I judge myself like this all the time!

Then I had a thought.  What if I didn't want to stop eating bad because I wanted to look good, but because I wanted to feel good.  What if I didn't eat late at night because I'd rather wake up feeling light and rejuvenated as opposed to having a food hangover instead of because it will help me loose weight to look good.  What if I exercised for the feeling of accomplishment instead of because my arms are getting flabby.  What I I forgot about making a good first impression and focused on feeling good while doing good things for myself?

Wouldn't I naturally create healthy habits for myself just by choosing to prioritize making myself feel good? Wouldn't my confidence from choosing to make myself happy daily instead of being a slave to needing to look good naturally help with those crucial first impressions? Wouldn't my son pick up on the fact that treating yourself right feels good and is good for you?

Unless you have a job like mine, there are few times in life where first impressions actually matter.  The people that matter most in your life accept you for who you are not the things you notice when first walking up to a stranger.  They are way past the cover and are chapters into your book.

Do it for yourself.  Do it because you don't want to regret.  Do it because you don't want to feel bad about your choices.  Do it to feel happy in the end.

Hopefully the minor shift to making choices that make you feel good will empower you to accomplish your goals and be happy in the process:)

Nutrients, Nutrients, Nutrients!

This month I have been focusing on getting to the bottom of nutrients-specifically vitamins and minerals that we need to be healthy mamaz and have healthy little ones.   I think the push of supplements by doctors have steered us in the wrong direction as to where to get your vities and emphasized synthetic, man made pills over a balanced healthy diet.  I have come up with this list to break down the vitamins and minerals our bodies need and where to get them.

I went to Kidshealth.org for the following breakdown of vitamins and minerals

"Vitamins and minerals make people's bodies work properly. Although you get vitamins and minerals from the foods you eat every day, some foods have more vitamins and minerals than others.

Vitamins fall into two categories: fat soluble and water soluble. Thefat-soluble vitamins — A, D, E, and K — dissolve in fat and can be stored in your body. The water-soluble vitamins — C and the B-complex vitamins (such as vitamins B6, B12, niacin, riboflavin, and folate) — need to dissolve in water before your body can absorb them. Because of this, your body can't store these vitamins. Any vitamin C or B that your body doesn't use as it passes through your system is lost (mostly when you pee). So you need a fresh supply of these vitamins every day.

Whereas vitamins are organic substances (made by plants or animals), minerals are inorganic elements that come from the soil and water and are absorbed by plants or eaten by animals. Your body needs larger amounts of some minerals, such as calcium, to grow and stay healthy. Other minerals like chromium, copper, iodine, iron, selenium, and zinc are called trace minerals because you only need very small amounts of them each day.If your diet includes a wide variety of foods, including whole-grain products, fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, nuts, seeds, eggs, and meats, then you are probably getting the vitamins and minerals your body needs."

Here is a comprehensive list of the vitamins and minerals needed 

Recommended Nutrients according to the Mayo Clinic:


Carbohydrates-The Mayo Clinic recommends getting 45%-65% of your daily calories from Carbs.
    "Carbohydrates are your body's main energy source. Most carbohydrates are naturally occurring in plant-based foods. Food manufacturers also add carbohydrates to processed foods as starches or added sugar. Carbohydrates in the form of sugars, starches and fiber are found in legumes, grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, baked goods and many other foods." Mayoclinic.com
Break it down:
Monosaccharides are the simplest carbohydrate and cannot be hydrolyzed to a smaller carb. For example Glucose and Fructose.


Disaccharides are the simplest form of polysaccharides and are composed of 2 monosaccharides.  For example sucrose (fructose and glucose) and lactose (galactose and glucose)


Oligosaccharides and polysaccharides are composed of longer chains of monosaccharide units bound together by glycosidic bonds. The distinction between the two is based upon the number of monosaccharide units present in the chain.


"Historically nutritionists have classified carbohydrates as either simple or complex, however, the exact delineation of these categories is ambiguous. Today, simple carbohydrate typically refers to monosaccharides and disaccharides and complex carbohydrate means polysaccharides (and oligosaccharides)...A commonly held belief, even among nutritionists, is that complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides, e.g. starches) are digested more slowly than simple carbohydrates (sugars) and thus are healthier. ^[16] However, there appears to be no significant difference between simple and complex carbohydrates in terms of their effect on blood sugar.^[17] Some simple carbohydrates (e.g. fructose) are digested very slowly, while some complex carbohydrates (starches), especially if processed, raise blood sugar rapidly. The speed of digestion is determined by a variety of factors including which other nutrients are consumed with the carbohydrate, how the food is prepared, individual differences in metabolism, and the chemistry of the carbohydrate." Wikipedia.com


"A new system, called the glycemic index, aims to classify carbohydrates based on how quickly and how high they boost blood sugar compared to pure glucose...Diets rich in high-glycemic-index foods, which cause quick and strong increases in blood sugar levels, have been linked to an increased risk for diabetes, (5) heart disease, (6, 7) and overweight, (8, 9,10) and there is preliminary work linking high-glycemic diets to age-related macular degeneration, (11) ovulatory infertility, (12) and colorectal cancer. (13) Foods with a low glycemic index have been shown to help control type 2 diabetes and improve weight loss. Other studies, though, have found that the glycemic index has little effect on weight or health...One of the most important factors that determine a food's glycemic index is how much it has been processed. Milling and grinding removes the fiber-rich outer bran and the vitamin- and mineral-rich inner germ, leaving mostly the starchy endosperm." hsph.harvard.edu


The Best Carbs:
Whole Grains: http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/whole-grains-a-to-z
Whole Fruits
Whole Veggies: http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/fruits-and-vegetables-high-in-carbohydrates.html
Whole Natural Sweetners: http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/2011/08/video-which-natural-sweeteners-are-best/

Sugar-The American Heart Association recommends no more than 100 calories a day of sugar.

    All sugar, whether natural or processed, is a type of carbohydrate that your body uses for energy. Sugar occurs naturally in some foods, including fruits, vegetables, milk and some grains. Processed sugars also are added to foods and beverages. These added sugars do little more than add calories to your diet.

More info in my findings about sugar here: http://healthymamaz.blogspot.com/2011/08/navigating-sugar-aisle.html



Protein-The Mayo Clinic Recommends 10%-35% of your daily calories from protein. Although I am convinced closer to 10% is all that is really needed.
    Protein is an important nutrient, essential for growth and development. All the cells of your body include protein. Protein is also an important source of calories and energy. Both plant-based and animal-based foods provide protein.
Break it down:
"Along with carbohydrates and fat, your body needs protein, a nutrient made up of essential and nonessential amino acids, for good health. Your body manufactures 13 nonessential amino acids, which aren't available from food. For the body to process protein properly, the foods that you eat must contain the nine essential amino acids that are available only from dietary sources." LifeClinic.com


"The amino acids regarded as essential for humans are phenylalanine, valine, threonine, tryptophan, isoleucine, methionine, leucine, lysine, and histidine.^[3] Additionally, cysteine (or sulphur-containing amino acids), tyrosine (or aromatic amino acids), and arginine are required by infants and growing children.^[4][5] Essential amino acids are "essential" not because they are more important to life than the others, but because the body does not synthesize them, making it essential to include them in one's diet in order to obtain them." wikipedia.com 


Where to get it: These are great articles on top quality protein!!
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/top-ten-protein-sources/
http://www.squidoo.com/greensmoothies


Fat-The mayo Clinic recommends getting 20%-35% of your daily calories from fat.
    Dietary fat is a nutrient that helps your body absorb essential vitamins, maintains the structure and function of cell membranes, and helps keep your immune system working. Some types of fat, though, may increase your risk of heart disease and other health problems.

Break it down:

There are four types of fat.  Monousaturated, Polyunsaturated, Saturated Fats, Trans Fats.

Monounsaturated fat , according to youngwomanshealth.org is the heart healthy kind that can decrease bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol.  You can find monounsaturated fat in Avocado, almonds, canola oil, cashews, hazelnuts, olive oil, peanut butter, peanut oil and sunflower oil.

Polyunsaturated fat, according to youngwomanshealthy.org is also heart healthy and composed of two essential fatty acids that your body uses to make substances that control blood pressure, blood clotting and your immune system response.  Good sources are Canola Oil, Corn Oil, Flaxseeds, Herring, Pine Nuts, Pumpkin Seeds, Salmon, Sardines, Sesame Seeds, Soybeans, Soybean Oil, Sunflower Oil, Tuna, Trout and Walnuts. A Special Type of Fat called Omega-3 fats are also known to have many health benefits.  you can find them in Canola Oil, Flaxseeds, Flaxseed Oil, Green Leafy Veggies, Halibut, Lake Trout, Legumes, Mackerel, Nuts, Salmon, Sardines, Soy-based foods, Tofu and Tuna.


Saturated Fat-They Mayo Clinic recommends getting no more than 10% of your daily calories from saturated fats.
    Saturated fat, also called animal fat is most often found in animal products, such as cheese, red meat, poultry, butter and whole-milk products. Other foods high in saturated fat include those made with coconut, palm and other tropical oils. Good Sources of Saturated Fats are Olive Oil, Low Fat Cheese, Canola Oil, Low Fat Milks, Egg Whites, Frozen Yogurt, White Meat Poultry or Fish.


Trans Fat-It is recommended that you avoid trans fats as much as possible.
    Trans fat occurs naturally in some foods, especially foods from animals. But most trans fat is created during food processing through partial hydrogenation of unsaturated fats. Trans fat is a common ingredient in some types of margarine, shortening, snack foods and commercial baked goods. Trans fat can increase your risk of heart disease.  Try to eliminate cookies, crackers, donuts, fast foods, fried foods, margarine, muffins and shortening.


Cholesterol-The mayo Clinic recommends eating no more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol a day.
    Cholesterol is vital because it helps build your body's cells and produces certain hormones. But your body makes enough cholesterol to meet its needs — you don't need any dietary cholesterol. Excessive cholesterol in your diet can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Dietary cholesterol comes from animal products, such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products and butter.


Fiber-The Mayo Clinic recommends woman get between 22-28 grams of fiber each day.
Fiber is the part of plant-based foods that your body doesn't digest and absorb. 


"While fiber does fall under the category of carbohydrates, in comparison, it does not provide the same number of calories, nor is it processed the way that other sources of carbohydrates are." Medicinenet.com


There are two basic types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber may help improve your cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Oats, dried beans and some fruits, such as apples and oranges, are good sources of soluble fiber. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stool and can help prevent constipation. Vegetables, wheat bran and other whole grains are good sources of insoluble fiber.


Sodium The Mayo Clinic recommends limiting sodium to less than 2300 milligrams per day
    Some sodium is vital because it helps maintain the right balance of fluids in your body, helps transmit nerve impulses, and influences the contraction and relaxation of muscles. Too much sodium, though, can be harmful, increasing your blood pressure and the risk of heart disease and stroke

Challenge! Eat some fresh organic veggies everyday!

From what I've read looking through vegetarian nutrition information, it is always a good idea to add some raw veggies to your daily diet.  They are the most nutrient rich-as long as they are fresh and are perfectly absorbed into your body naturally!

I use to make myself a chopped salad everyday for lunch, but with hormonal cravings and keeping up with a new baby, I definitely dropped that habit.  I am challenging YOU and myself to have a fresh raw salad 2-3 times per week.  Here is my super nutritious-eat what you want for dinner because you fulfilled your healthy quota for the day-salad recipe:

Fresh Greens
3 different raw, organic veggies
nuts and/or seeds
Protein (meat, beans, quinoa, couscous)
Healthy Fat (Olive Oil, Avocado)

It really helps if you chop up all of your ingredients and place in separate containers for the week than each afternoon toss the salad together quickly and enjoy!

Feel good about your day and do your body some good-try a fresh salad a few times per week!!