Monday I shared a piece on what our metabolism is and how it works. Today I’m providing you with a list of the very best metabolism boosting foods that exist. Now almost every fruit and vegetable is a metabolism booster. I just picked the best of the best. Some food items you may be very familiar with and others you may just be learning about for the first time.

It’s a long list but I really want you to learn a little bit about each food. It is my belief that once you know what it does and why it’s earned its place at the top, you might want to just give it a try.

Enjoy and remember to buy organic as much as possible.Why organic? Two people are given the exact same food program for one week; person number one consumes only organic food, person number two consumes only conventional food. Person number one will increase their metabolism and lose weight at a faster rate. Even when consuming the exact same foods. Why? In laymen’s terms our body is designed to meet the slowest digestible food. This is the theory at the root of food combining. In other words, if your diet is full of easily digestible, metabolism-boosting goodies but they are full of pesticides, herbicides, hormones, anti-biotics, arsenic, ammonia and other chemicals, the body is not designed to metabolize those, it has no idea what to do and so it holds on. The entire digestive process slows down, and metabolism is not increased.

Fear not. It is easier than you think. Begin by making two organic meals a week. It is a wonderful start and as these small steps will increase they add up to huge changes in your health.

TURMERIC
This 3000 year old spice is one of our most powerful healers. Turmeric has shrunk cancerous tumors in mice, and these tumors did not return. This is HUGE! The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin. Besides being a winner in science labs, turmeric is credited for: reducing the risk of leukemia, preventing and stopping the growth of prostate cancer, preventing melanoma cells to grow, is a natural liver detoxifier (again remember our lesson on metabolism, our cells and the liver), aids in fat metabolism, may prevent and slow down alzheimer’s by removing amyloyd plaque buildup in the brain, is a very powerful anti-inflammatory, which aids with arthritis, natural painkiller and has been used for years as an anti-depressant in Chinese medicine. You can buy turmeric in pill form, this is the easiest way to make sure you get a high dosage each day. I use it in spice form. I sprinkle it over quinoa, in vegetable stir-fries, you can use it on your eggs, in a tofu scramble. I basically sprinkle it on any vegetable I eat.

CINNAMON
Ok this one is my favorite. I am cinnamon crazy. Cinnamon has one of the highest anti-oxidant levels of all herbs and spices. Here is a little known secret I am sharing with you. This is why we want you to LOVE VIB – you get it here first! So you are reading this and thinking ‘I am so good I use cinnamon everyday and must be getting all these health benefits, right?’ Wrong! Sorry, but most cinnamon sold in the USA is not cinnamon. What now? It’s true. Unless you are buying Ceylon cinnamon you are sprinkling something called Cassia on to your toast. Cassia is similar, and is related to cinnamon, but does not have the powerhouse health benefits we are sharing with you. As a matter of fact the compound in cassia, called coumarin, can actually damage your liver and is harmful to those on blood thinners.

So what are these great benefits of real cinnamon? It is fabulous for keeping blood glucose levels even – the holy grail to getting that metabolism working in your favor. So it works very well for people with hypoglycemia and type 2 diabetes, lowers LDL cholesterol, aids in digestion, reduces arthritis pain, boosts memory and cognitve function, helps migraine pain, is an anti-infammatory. I sprinkle mine in tea, in oatmeal, on my Ezekiel bread with almond butter, in my smoothie, in pancake batter, on applesauce, in cereals, in my muffins, everything I can! Really!!!

CAYENNE PEPPER
This is a super spice! It is named for the city Cayenne, in French Guyana, in South America. Cayenne powder comes from red hot chili peppers. The “fruit” of the pepper is dried and then ground and sifted to make cayenne pepper. The active ingredient is capsaicin. Capsaicin is considered a “thermogenic” chemical. Your takeaway is that it speeds metabolism and decreases appetite! Yippee.

It isn’t just a wonderful diet aid it also increases blood flow, maintains healthy blood pressure, is an anti-inflammatory, boosts immunity, has anti-viral properties, promotes a healthy digestive system and helps with regularity. A healing teacher once told me that you can put cayenne pepper on a wound, if someone is bleeding a lot (while you are waiting for an ambulance) acting like a clot, it helps stop bleeding. Hope I never have to try that one! Another friend who was to have oral surgery,brushed her teeth and gums 2x a day for 3 weeks. She never needed that surgery! I have tried this and it is not for the faint of heart. On a separate note, if you are menopausal and/or experiencing hot flashes cayenne pepper will exacerbate them.

KALE
Kale is King. There is no other vegetable that has as many antioxidants, or as high an ORAC rating. Kale is a superfood chock full of phytonutrients. It is part of the cruciferous vegetable family. This family of veggies fights cancers by releasing enzymes that neutralize free radicals and detoxifies the liver. Now remember the lesson on your cells and our metabolism – well this is where kales come in. Anything that detoxifies also helps with your metabolism.

As with all leafy greens, Kale is also an excellent source of iron, omega-3’s, Vitamins A, C, E and K and is very high in calcium. Kale is high in carotenoids, lutein is one of them, which is needed for eye health. Here is where I love to play “connect the dots.” Our country has a high incident of fatty livers, (from high saturated fat diets), we also have a high incidence of glaucoma and cataracts. Remember, Kale is both a liver detoxifier and good for the eyes. Guess where the eyes get just about all of their nutrients from ? The liver! Isn’t this stuff fascinating?

The US is one of the leaders in dairy consumption, but we also have a high incidence of osteoperosis in this country. How could this be? Studies are in, that are proving dairy is not what fights osteoperosis and bone loss. The true preventer is a diet rich in leafy greens and this is where Kale is king!

SPINACH
Another leafy green loaded with antioxidants, vitamins A, C, K and lutein (remember the carotenoid that aids eye health). It is full of iron and folate – remember Popeye! I love spinach. I think I eat spinach and kale more than any other vegetable. They are both so easy and fast to prepare.

SWISS CHARD
Swiss chard got its name to distinquish it from french spinach. Others say it is from the beet family but without the swollen “root.” What I know for sure is it’s a leafy green that’s chock full of antioxidants and minerals; potassium, iron, magnesium. Swiss chard is one of the most powerful anti-cancer foods due to its combination of traditional nutrients; phytochemicals, chlorophyll and fiber. Swiss chard is also a good source of B6, calcium, thiamine, selenium, folic acid, protein and zinc. With all of these vital nutrients in it we just know it is working on our metabolism – talk about a multi-tasker!

BROCCOLI
Also from the cruciferous vegetable family, the chemicals in this powerhouse prevent cancers by fighting excess estrogen in the body. It is also full of iron, calcium, potassium and folic acid. High in anti-oxidants and fiber, of course it is on our metabolism boosting foods list.

For anyone with thyroid issues broccoli, and all cruciferous veggies are considered harmful if eaten raw. They contain chemicals called goitrogens, meaning they can produce goiters. Lightly cooking or steaming your veggies inactivates the goitrogens. I love broccoli but since I have a thyroid issue I eat very little. I gave it up for over a year while healing my thyroid and instead filled up on kale, swiss chard, spinach and many other plant foods. I have since reintroduced it and it is fine. Kale is considered a cruciferous vegetable but contains less of the goitrogens.

BEETS
I love beets, I love everything about them, their taste, color, texture and how easily they blend in foods. Did you know that during the Victorian era women would use beets to make their cheeks look rosy! The beet roots are a real powerhouse for phytonutrients and antioxidants. Beets contain iron, folic acid, potassium, vitamin B6, calcium and fiber. Beets are another wonderful liver detoxifier, are excellent for cleaning the blood, kidneys and gallbladder and for relieving constipation by improving peristlasis in the large intestine. Is it any wonder beets are on our metabolism list? I puree beets and put them in all my baked goods. It lets you cut down on sugar and adds so many antioxidants to your food. For your veggies just cut the greens and sautee them with garlic and then chop and sautee the actual beets and serve together – yum! I predict you will be hearing more and more about the benefits of beets.

FENNEL
The name Fennel comes from a place in Marathon (which meant “place of fennel”). Fennel grew everywhere there. Marathon was town in Greece, which was the battle of Marathon in 490 BC. The Athenian army won and beat the Persians. After the victory, a messenger ran from Marathon to Athens, to announce the victory. The distance between the two towns is 26.2 miles, hence the modern day marathon being 26.2 miles. Another little known fact is that the messenger died during this journey. So we just learned three things: how the word marathon came to be, how the expression “don’t kill the messenger” came to be, and why I don’t run marathons!

Ok I digress, Fennel is used by many herbalists to relieve intestinal issues, it expels gas and gets our digestive tract working, relieves stomach cramps and helps bad breath. It is full of postassium, fiber, folic acid, iron, calcium, magnesium and manganese. Fennel also contains large amounts of anticancer coumarin compounds, ranking it high in antioxidants. Just chop it up and put it in salads, mix it with kale, or top it on fish. Either way don’t run away from your fennel!

TOMATOES
Tomatoes are very high on the antioxidant list. They protect against prostate, cervical and breast cancers. They are great for your blood and your heart. The good stuff in tomatoes is lycopene. The lycopene is reduced at a much higher rate if the tomatoes are warmed – so cooked tomatoes like tomato sauce are a much better source. Also organic tomatoes have almost five times the amount of lycopene so choose organically. Don’t forget organic ketchup as well. Much more lycopene and no high fructose corn syrup. Even Heinz makes organic ketchup now. I just chop up tomatoes, place them on my fish, drizzle with olive oil and bake.

YAMS
More powerful than sweet potatoes. Yams offer a great source of vitamins B1, B6, C, fiber, potassium and manganese. This power house carb. also contains a unique phytoestrogen called diosgenin, which help with the balancing of our hormones, estrogen and progesterone. This is why you will hear of natural progesterone creams being made from wild yam. Yams made our metabolism list because they aid the liver and help to detoxify excess estrogen in the body. Great for anyone over 35! I eat baked yams all the time and I blend them in my soups. Adding just half a yam [skin off] will give the texture of a creamed soup without using any dairy. Also try slicing and baking – yam chips are the best.

AVOCADO
Avocados are a true superfood. Filled with monounsaturated fatty acids (the good heart healthy fats) that actually help you lose belly fat. Good fats are also needed for proper hormone synthesis, brain function and to transport many nutrients and vitamins to where they need to go. The avocado is also a great source of fiber, potassium, magnesium, protein, vitamin b6 and K. This is truly a perfect food. I add avocados to all my blended green soups and to smoothies to give that creamy taste.

SEA VEGETABLES
We just don’t get enough of these and we don’t always know how to do so. They offer the broadest range of minerals of any food. ANY! It is said that all the minerals found in the ocean are the same as found in human blood. Sea veggies are full of lignans, phytonutrients that fight cancer. Lignans aid our metabolism by inhibiting estrogen to be stored in our fat cells. This cuts down our cancer risk considerably. I take my sea veggies for thyroid health. These are natures richest sources of natural iodine which is essential for thyroid health. Because these thyroid hormones regulate metabolism in every cell of the body and play a role in virtually all physiological functions, an iodine deficiency can have a negative impact on your health. How do you get your sea veggies? Well most health food stores have a variety now. I fill nori with tuna and eat it as a sandwich, I throw nori and wakame into quinoa or in soups and I cut nori strips and add to my veggie stir fry. My easiest and most guaranteed way is to have 2 oz. of Life Force Body Balance every single day. This super elixer offers all of the sea vegetables necessary to maintain thyroid health. It is a superior supplement with metabolism boosting properties.

GARLIC AND ONIONS
Garlic and onions are from the allium family. They are superfoods. They have anti-viral properties, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and have antioxidants that have been studied to help prevent cancer. They also have mild stimulant properties, especially garlic. So try not to have too much in the evenings it will keep you awake, and who wants to be wide awake when no one wants to kiss you!

OLIVE OIL
My favorite. I put olive oil on anything I can. Olive oil is a good fat, no make that a great fat! Olive oil is one of the best transporters of vital nutrients to the brain and our organs. New studies are showing it helps prevent Alzheimer’s. Why is oil on our metabolism boosting list? Well did you know when your body is full of the good fats (and proper lean protein) it will not have sweet cravings. It is true. Olive oil, flaxseed oil and coconut oil all aid in metabolism. High temperature oils are bad for you though so try to steam veggies and cook pasta and fish and drizzle the olive oil on afterwards. My favorite is Olio Beato. It is an organic olive oil that has won “great-tasting” award year after year. It is so delicious I could eat it off the spoon. Talk about doing a taste test. One taste of this and you will never eat supermarket olive oil again.

I hope you enjoy reading. More importantly, I hope you enjoy some of these wonderful, life-enhancing foods each day.

Who wants to boost metabolism and lose inches off their body in just 15 minutes? Yes, we thought so. Would any of you like to do it at a discount? Yes again!

Our favorite skincare specialist, Ildi Pekar, has outdone herself! The Ildi Pekar Skincare Salon is the first spa in the United States to offer the Electrical Muscle Stimulation Machine (EMS) , also known as Creative Fitness.

This high-tech, result-driven machine has taken Europe by storm. It’s used by models and celebrities throughout Europe. They always get the good stuff before we do. Wellness and beauty spa’s use it to shape, sculpt, and create your ideal body! High-performance athletes use the electric muscle stimulation to supplement their usual training and to increase strength and speed. Physiotherapists use it with their patients to accelerate the healing process and personal trainers are using it in fitness studios to achieve quicker results.

How does the creative fitness treatment work?

This unique fitness treatment works out eight different body parts (legs, abdomen, buttocks, upper and lower back, chest, arms, shoulders) simultaneously! The deep muscle structures get trained which is not possible to train when you’re doing conventional sport-training or exercises.

After only a few 15-minute training sessions the following results are achieved:
- The metabolism is increased, reducing body fat and weight!
- Tightening of the connective tissues and reduction of cellulite!
- Improvement of the cardiovascular system with increased blood circulation!
- Back aches and back pain reduced!
- Overall improvement in posture/spine alignment!

For the month of February, mention VIB, and The Ildi Pekar Skin Care Salon will offer you this treatment for $75.00! Improve your body and get in shape fast – and all at a VIB discount! Happy Valentine’s Day to YOU!

Please contact Ale at 212-682-6080 or email salon@ildipekar.com to set up an appointment.

Discounts cannot be combined. Packages are not included.

So can metabolism be changed? Today you will learn what foods to eat what to do and what magic pill to take. I’ll answer that last question first. Sadly, there is no magic pill. There are countless pills and powders promising metabolism-utopia, and I if a healthy version existed I would tell you about it.

What does metabolism mean? The earliest known use of the word dates to the early 19th century. It derives from the Greek word meta, meaning change and the word ballein, meaning to transform – to grow. Well any woman who has ever dieted knows that we want to change and transform! So the greek word metaballein, became metabolism in English. And we’ve been trying to transform it ever since.

What is our metabolism? Like all positive things in our life that allow for transformation, it’s a process. Our metabolism, or metabolic process refers to the rate (how fast or how slow) your body burns and utilizes calories. It pertains to the chemical reactions and energy changes within our body’s cells. How our body breaks down food, drink and nutrients to produce energy for you to live. Metabolism is also responsible for maintaining muscle, healing injuries, and ridding the body of toxins. A chemical reaction has to take place for toxins to move from our cells to our blood and our carrier organs, and then to remove them from our body. It’s quite a process!

Is our metabolism somewhere specific in our body? No. Its boss is the endocrine system which governs our hormones. This is a system of ductless glands. Whenever the word gland is present (pituitary gland, adrenal gland, thyroid gland) it means that it secretes and produces chemicals, these chemicals are hormones and they regulate the body. When there is an imbalance in your body you will receive a signal, usually from one of your hormonal systems which regulate mood, growth, tissue function and development.

Are you seeing the connection? How many women say “I think my hormones are off and my metabolism is slow because I can’t lose weight”?

If you’re over 35, have gained weight and nothing seems to help it must be your metabolism right? Most likely – but you can restore balance. Even if you are over fifty and even if you have thyroid and/or hormonal issues. I am saying this from personal experience. It will take discipline and commitment on your part but it can absolutely be remedied.

So why do you have a slow metabolism? There are several things that slow our metabolism down. Our age does effect metabolism, as do hormonal and thyroid issues. Not getting enough sleep slows it down. Nutrient-empty, non-organic diets filled with toxins and chemicals also wreak havoc with it. If you eat and sleep well your hormones will be better balanced. This means your thyroid is better balanced and your hormones can secrete the right chemicals at the proper time which enables your metabolism to function efficiently.

What boosts metabolism? Exercise. Especially weight training. When we build muscle tissue we boost metabolism. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn. Our metabolism decreases each decade about 3-5% due to hormonal changes and muscle loss. However, it does NOT decrease if you exercise and weight train. Your metabolism will increase as you build muscle mass.

Building muscle tissue is the number one way to boost metabolism. Muscle slows down the aging process, prevents osteoporosis, raises immune system function and boosts metabolism. If you only do cardio your metabolism goes back to normal once the cardio ends. If you weight train and do cardio your metabolism keeps burning extra calories for hours after your workout has ended. You don’t have to become a body-builder. Just 15-20 minutes 3 times a week works.

PROTEIN: Eat lean protein with every meal. Protein builds muscle. Low fat diets result in hormone imbalances which slow down metabolism. Proteins are powerful compounds that build and repair tissues and muscles, speed up chemical reactions in the body, fight infection and transport oxygen from lungs to tissues. The smaller units of protein in our bodies are amino acids and we require over 20 of these amino acids to maintain optimal health, nine of which cannot be made by the body and must be obtained by our food sources. In order to convert protein to energy that our body can use we have to break it down to amino acids and this boosts metabolism because the body burns calories breaking down the amino acids.

NEVER SKIP MEALS: When you skip meals your metabolism slows way down to conserve energy. Your body perceives starvation and begins to consume its own muscle mass. Humans are the only species to purposefully starve themselves!

EAT EVERY 3 HOURS: If you eat something nutrient-rich and small every 3 hours your blood sugar will remain balanced and this will enable your metabolism to work more efficiently. Tip: most sugar cravings are because the body does not have enough protein. If you eat every 3 hours your sugar cravings will be a distant memory, and so will that slow metabolism!

SLEEP: You must try and get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. If you do only this and nothing else, you will boost your metabolism. We even burn calories while we sleep!

DRINK: Believe it or not many people just aren’t hydrated. They think they are hungry when they are thirsty. Almost 80% of all the inner workings of our bodily systems take place in water. If you aren’t giving it enough H2O all systems slow down, especially metabolism. Water means water. Juice, soda, coffee, tea and alcohol are not considered water.

LIMIT ALCOHOL: A glass of wine or two on weekends is fine. If you’re serious about boosting your metabolism you are going to have to forfeit the wine habit. Alcohol slows the metabolism way down.

STRESS: This is a big one. When we are stressed we release stress hormones in the body. I’ve written many pieces detailing how this happens. If you exercise, eat well, and make some lifestyle changes, stress goes way down and your hormones become balanced and metabolism can go up.

Please note: It is recommended for all women over 35 years of age to get their thyroid checked annually to rule out any imbalances that may require medical treatment.

Unlike bears most of us can’t settle in for our long winter’s nap. Instead we work long hours, get little sleep, eat heavier foods, exercise less and then call each other to complain about our colder, chubbier selves! If you’ve found yourself wondering: why am I tired all the time?, why am I so hungry?, why am I fighting with my husband more?, why are my kids more annoying than usual?, why haven’t I exercised? why don’t I want to do anything? and why have I gained so much weight? Don’t worry there is a reason for these feelings.

If you live in the northeastern United States between the months of January-March there is a very good chance that you experience some of the thoughts listed above. If you are over 35 you may experience them to a greater degree.

I know I did. My quality of life begins to dwindle once the holidays come to an end. When January rolls around it feels as if someone else has inhabited my once happy being. So who is this mystery guest? It is called seasonal affective disorder, or SAD for short.

Now most of us wait it out, accepting this diminished quality of life, hoping that Spring will eventually keep her promises. Why wait? Don’t waste several months with a reduced quality of life? I’m sharing support tips for you: nutritional choices, supplements, and lifestyle techniques that will lift you up.

There is a difference between depression and SAD. There are some among us who have more serious bio-chemical imbalances, who may find great improvement from anti-depressants. Please continue to nurture yourself.

SAD differs from depression, it is a low-level change in your bio-chemistry brought on by the longer nights and shorter days of winter. This lack of sunshine effects our brain chemistry by cutting our supply of one its most valuable nutrients, sunshine and light. Which together, increase the serotonin levels in our body.

This temporary slump in mood is different than depression. Often the winter was a time to catch up on rest, to go to sleep earlier and to cozy down. We aren’t really honoring that any longer, and our mind, body and spirit are challenged by it. Please know SAD should go away once Spring comes. It may also comfort us to remember, that the opposite of happiness is unhappiness not depression. You have just been temporarily knocked down a notch or two due to serotonin levels. We have become a society where when anything is off balance we want to take a pill and run for cover. You can use these feelings to try and pinpoint what isn’t working in your life, what you can do better or differently, and how you can help yourself feel better. Do you need more joy? More laughter? Are you just in a rut? So other than moving to Florida, what else can we do? Plenty.

SUPPLEMENTS:

Vitamin D: It’s the SAD the powerhouse, the sunshine supplement. Did you know that most people in the United States, especially on the east coast, are deficient in vitamin D? Almost 90% of us! It is true.

Vitamin D is essential for boosting the immune system, promoting calcium absorption for strong bone health, helping the feel-good hormones and reducing inflammation in the body. Scientists have found that many of our cells work with vitamin D receptors, and without proper D in our bodies our cells can’t carry out this necessary conversion to maintain optimal health.

CALCIUM
The feel-good mineral also gets depleted in the winter. I take mine in liquid form and just pour it into my smoothie.

B VITAMINS
B Vitamins help the body reduce it’s stress hormones while increasing the feel good hormones. B vitamins offer wonderful benefits to our hormonal imbalances in general.

RHODIOLA ROSEA
Rhodiola has been successful in alleviating fatigue, depression, stress, attention, anxiety and panic disorders, insomnia and improving memory and focus. It also helps with metabolism especially during the SAD months, when cortisol goes up, serotonin goes down, we feel blue and gain weight.

To learn more about Rhodiola, please view Metabolism Boosting Superfoods Part 2.

MAGNOLIA BARK:
This is one of the oldest plants on earth and has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Fossils date back 95 million years! Mostly found in Mongolia and Japan this bark has been used to heal almost everything! It lowers cortisol (the stress hormone), easing anxiety and depression. It is used as a fat burner and a laxative. It’s also used to boost immunity, diminish cramps, and ease digestion by vanishing bloating and gas. As if all this wasn’t enough, Japanese studies show that honokiol and magnolol, both found in magnolia bark are over 1000 times more potent than vitamin E as an antioxidant. It’s truly every woman’s dream herb! You can purchase it at the health food store. I use Amer-med brand.

EXERCISE
The number one way to boost your serotonin levels? You guessed it – exercise! Exercise is the number one thing that can actually regenerate your neurons! Exercising even 20 minutes a day is proven to boost those endorphins. Your serotonin levels go up, cortisol goes down and you instantly feel happier. Your metabolism also gets a boost and exercise almost guarantees you will make better food choices.

To kick it up a notch – exercise outside when it’s sunny out. Don’t wear sunglasses. The sun must hit your retina in order for the nutrients to be absorbed and work their feel-good magic. I know, it’s cold out – but do it anyway. I suffered many a winter -one quarter of our existence. Take back your quality of life. Buy thermal underwear, warm boots, ski pants if you must, and a warm hat. When you are bundled up and getting a real dose of vitamin D you will feel happier.

SLEEP
After food this is my most talked about subject. Sleep seriously effects our hormones and metabolism. Lack of sleep negatively impacts our brains neuron signaling and how it responds to serotonin. Now that we have learned that exercise is one of the only ways to regenerate your neurons, is it any wonder that you sleep better when you are exercising!

DIGESTION
Did you know that almost all of your body’s serotonin is found in the cells of your gut? Yes, 80-90% isn’t that amazing. Our gut holds most of our feel good hormones and this is why it’s also called our 2nd brain. It’s where we receive our ‘gut’ responses or knowing, from.

Studies have been done on rats, that show when they are injected with serotonin their hunger levels decrease dramatically! So let’s connect the dots – serotonin levels dip in the winter months, most of our serotonin levels are in our gut, we over eat and experience more cravings during January-March! Puzzle solved.

NUTRITION
Because nutrition plays a crucial role in our moods and feeling good, I have listed some foods that can boost serotonin levels in your gut. Some of the foods are serotonin inducing foods solely for the gut. Others have tryptophan, the amino acid needed to transport serotonin to the rest of your body.

Sun Warrior Protein Powder has this amino acid and it is a perfect way to gain energy, get your protein and increase serotonin. Carbohydrates are craved more during winter months because of their serotonin increasing properties. This is why diets begun in the Spring have a higher success rate. You begin your diet in January, you cut out all carbs and by week two you’re depressed and feel like a failure for breaking your goal. The truth is that your already low serotonin has taken too much of a dip by cutting out the carbs. I have tricks for that by the way!

So my good-mood foods are:
-Pecans
-Walnuts
-Bananas
-Pineapples
-Tomatoes
-Kiwi
-Turkey
-Milk
-Yogurt
-Cottage Cheese
-Eggs
-Meat (organic, grass-fed)
-Fish
-Olive Oil
-Flax Seed Oil
-Avocado
-Olives

So get some rest, get outside, and most of all – FEEL GOOD!

Whenever I have watched a few, like when Mario Batali had his show on a few years back, there was never anything I would really cook. Most of the recipes call for pounds of butter, cream, heavy meats, breading and a deep fryer! All yummy, but we can’t really eat that way every day.

Enter, Paula Deen. Deen is a celebrity chef. Most people know her for her bubbly personality and her two greatest loves – her sons and fried food. Both usually appear on every show. Deen has recently revealed that she has type 2 diabetes. I’m truly sorry to hear whenever anyone has a health problem. However, I also want to share that this is often what happens if your diet is mostly fried, fatty foods. We have to stop acting surprised when we fall ill if we don’t better manage our lifestyle.

There are two main types of diabetes; type 1 and type 2. Type 1 is often referred to as juvenile diabetes because it’s usually diagnosed during childhood and it has nothing to do with obesity. In fact, most children with type 1 are thin. With type 1, the pancreas, which secretes insulin, doesn’t have the correct antibodies to make insulin, and these children/adults then need insulin shots every day.

Type 2 diabetes is often referred to as adult-onset diabetes, but please know it is spreading amongst children as well. Type 2 is caused from insulin resistance and is associated with metabolic syndrome, heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. It is brought on almost always by poor nutrition and lifestyle choices. It is usually treated by replacing bad nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle, with healthy food and exercise. The vast majority of diabetics in the United States have type 2 (or the type that can be reversed). Only about 10-15% of people have type 1.

I know there is a lot of talk on this subject and it is often confusing. I am writing this to remind everyone that each choice we make, each and every day, can yield big health rewards. Please think of food as an investment in your future health. Often when celebrities get an illness it does shine a light on that illness and then research and development money is raised and cures are often found. For example Michael J. Fox and his remarkable work with Parkinson’s disease.

In Deen’s case she has been asked to be the spokesperson of a new type 2 diabetes drug! The reason this makes me so annoyed is because type-2 is very curable. Prescription drugs do not promote health. This really sends the wrong message – that you can eat whatever you want and just pop a pill. If you do have type-2 diabetes and change your lifestyle you will most likely not need to take drugs. Why bombard your body even further when you can make better choices all by yourself?

I will go into this in further detail, but to get you started on balancing your blood sugar, better food choices must be made. Sugar has a glycemic index of 100. To keep blood sugar low, which is your goal, you need to choose foods that are low on the glycemic index. For example, a white flour bagel scores an 85, whereas a piece of stoneground whole wheat toast is a 45. That is almost half. These numbers add up quickly.

It’s a New Year. Let’s turn off the television – especially those bad cooking shows and reality television, and take responsibility for our own reality, our health!

By the way, if you just have to have fried chicken every now and then, visit my recipe section for high-protein baked chicken. You won’t believe what the bread crumbs are made from. It’s delicious ya’ll!

My last article was about willpower. I explained how we must not count on it for success. To best achieve our nutrition goals and set ourselves up for optimal health – we need to clean out the pantry first.

I would never leave you with an empty kitchen. So as promised, today I’m sharing some delicious substitutes for your favorite snacks. Remember you should be eating three square meals a day, and 2-3 healthy snacks. Everyone experiences cravings for something salty, sweet, or creamy and I’m no different. I’ve come up with healthy tricks to transform your favorite snacks into healthy, low-fat, super foods. Most can be found in my recipe section.

Before we begin, please know that wanting a snack can be a signal that the body is out of balance. When you begin to desire something make sure you have eaten. Snacks should never replace meals. Before you give in to any snack, use the following as a checklist:

-Try drinking water. You may just be dehydrated.
-Take a brisk walk. If it’s emotional snacking the feeling should vanish.
-Talk to a supportive friend. If your lonely this could be what you’re really craving.
-Take ten deep breaths, quiet down and try and connect to any feelings that may arise.
-Turn off the TV and read an uplifting book. Studies show that when we are spiritually full, we eat less. Plus, as I always say, you can’t eat with a book in your hand!

View this time as a chance for you to begin mindful eating or eating with awareness. Try not to snack while on the phone or in front of the tv (people who snack while watching television eat 33% more than mindful eaters).

SWEET CRAVINGS:
-Chocolate VIB protein shake
-One square organic raw dark chocolate
-Goji Superfood Snacks -they taste like truffles! (health food stores)
-Apple sauce cup w/cinnamon
-Natural Choice organic frozen Coconut fruit bar
-Dried fruit – dates, prunes, figs
-Vegan SKINNY brownies
-Fruit Smoothie
-Banana split: banana sliced in half, almond butter, drizzle with agave and roll in coconut flakes
-Oikos Organic greek yogurt w/honey
-Vegan whole grain pancakes
-High protein hot cocoa
-Nut-butter banana roll-up
-Venus VEGAN muffins

SALTY CRAVINGS:
-Hard boiled eggs w/sea salt and cayenne
-Edamame with sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil
-Hummus on celery stick, sprinkle flax seeds
-Venus egg muffins
-Organic popcorn
-Whole grain tortilla chips with salsa or guacamole
-Small piece organic feta cheese, drizzle with olive oil and oregano
-Roasted veggies organic wheat-free low-sodium tamari
-Olives
-Hummus or tabouli
-Sweet potato chips
-Kale chips
-Mixed nuts – or my favorite pili nuts! (see my post on the pili nut)
-Quinoa with sea salt
-Low fat cheese stick

CREAMY CRAVINGS:
-High protein hot cocoa
-Cottage cheese w/fruit
-Organic chocolate sorbet
-Stonyfield organic frozen yogurt
-Frozen organic yogurt tube
-Oikos organic greek yogurt
-Avocado with sea salt or cinnamon makes it sweet
-Pureed soups
-Mashed sweet potato with sea salt and cinnamon
-Steel cut oats w/almond milk

CRUNCHY CRAVINGS:
-Edamame
-Apples
-Pears
-To-Go Energy Bars
-Organic popcorn
-Seeds and nuts
-Carrots
-Celery with almond butter
-Granola
-Kale chips
-Sweet potato chips
-Zucchini chips

Enjoy and don’t let unhealthy snacking sabotage you any longer.

I was at a friend’s house last week. She put together a group of women for me to speak to about nutrition. Two of these women really want to lose weight. They spoke about it almost non-stop. They were asking for tips, remarking that I must never eat, how I must be blessed with a fast metabolism, and kept commenting on the amazing willpower I must possess, as if it’s an attribute we’re born with.

When I got home I just couldn’t shake this conversation. Why? Because all of their assumptions were completely false. I don’t like to proselytize but I do want to share a few facts that may help you with your own wellness goals.

There is no magic bullet. Absolutely none. You may lose a few pounds if you starve yourself or order one of those juice cleanses. However, once you go back to eating you’ll most likely gain it all back. Plus you’ll lose muscle in the interim. Until you view food as your best defense towards health, energy and happiness, you will be in constant battle. You against food, or really you vs. you.

I grew up overweight. I’ve written about this numerous times so I won’t bore you with the details. I also have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. This differs from a thyroid disorder which can go into remission or go away completely. Hashimoto’s is a disease that you always have and one of the results is a very under-active thyroid, meaning I gain weight easier than most people. Lastly I’ll address the comment that I must never eat, I eat every 2.5-3 hours without fail – every single day. I am never without food.

Now that those misconceptions are cleared up I want to get to the real reason I’m writing this today. Willpower. Yes, some people have more of it than others. However, I do not want you to count on willpower. You will be setting yourself up for failure. The secret is in planning and having everything you need on hand, so that you don’t go without eating and you don’t just grab whatever is easiest. If I counted on willpower I would not be able to remain healthy or feel my best. I’m not sure I really have all that much!

When I was at this friend/clients house, I noticed snacks everywhere, and I do mean everywhere. Chips, pretzels, cookies, and pastries all in plain sight. More cookies in the den and a giant bag of chips in the living room. No children live in this house. I’m not the food police and I wasn’t snooping -I just couldn’t help but notice them. Who wouldn’t be tempted?

The biggest step to success is getting the junk out of your house. If it’s there you will eat it. There is no way I could be surrounded with cookies, cake, chips and ice cream. Yes, on most days I might be ok, but I know that there would plenty of days that I wouldn’t be. Especially if that day has 3:00pm or stress in it!

Get it all out before you start your wellness plan. Donate it, give it to a neighbor, whatever you have to do, just clean that pantry. What about the kids? I keep a cabinet of healthy snacks in the house. Other than that I don’t buy or keep foods that are unhealthy. My family is not deprived. I will bake for them, but even when I do that, I take out what we will eat and freeze the rest. If there was an entire cake in my house, guess what would happen? Yup, guilty as charged. When it’s me against a cake – the cake always wins.

Surround yourself with heathy choices, clean, cut and prepare snacks and meals. Set yourself up for success by eating every few hours so your blood sugar doesn’t crash and you will start to feel good. I promise once you feel good and gain energy, you will never want to have cookies in your living room again!

Tune in Friday when I’ll be sharing healthy substitutes for your favorite snacks. It’s so easy!

There is definitely a better way to eat. Imagine a world where you can eat 5-6 meals a day, never count calories, never feel hungry, and actually eat more than you do right now? Well it exists, and at VIB we live in it. It is called Clean Eating.

EATING CLEAN – What’s that mean?

When I see new clients who want to lose weight they are never asked to diet. The secret of celebrities, body builders, and women who NEVER diet? CLEAN EATING!

The real secret to staying fit and never having to diet is the eating philosophy called clean eating. If I had to label myself, which I don’t like doing, this is how I would describe my personal eating philosophy.

So what does it mean to Eat Clean?
It means you are eating for optimal health, for fuel. You are eating food that exists in nature. Whole foods that are highest in nutritional value and have the most life force. The body needs macronutrients and micronutrients for energy. Macronutrients are our proteins, carbohydrates, good fats, and water. They are called macro because we need a lot of them. Macronutrients provide energy to the body. Micronutrients are the vitamins and minerals the body requires, and which trigger many metabolic reactions in our bodies.They work together. Only macronutrients give you energy, and you need micronutrients to properly utilize that energy.

When you are eating clean you are taking in food that the body uses in the most efficient manner, you jump start your metabolism, naturally lose weight, detox your body, are never hungry, and you feel GREAT. Really, once you adopt this way of eating you will not want to turn back.

The most important fact I can pass on to you is that your hunger is dictated by nutrients, not calories. Even though calories are a measurement of energy, your hunger is dictated by nutrients. This is why women who eat clean are naturally thin and don’t over eat. Their body is in balance, they receive their body’s daily requirement of nutrients so the signal to eat is automatically switched off.

If the body is filling up on nutrient-empty foods – processed foods, fast foods, refined sugar and the white stuff, you will experience constant cravings. Your body is sending you a message that its nutrient supply has not been met. It will keep eating until the nutrients are supplied. Many of the obese population today is actually malnourished.

When you are clean eating you are eating foods free of hormones, antibiotics, chemicals, fillers, toxins, preservatives, food dyes, artificial sweeteners, harmful sodium, and dangerous fats. The best way to know if you are clean eating is to shop the Farmer’s Markets, the outer sections of the grocery store, avoiding the prepared, frozen, processed foods that take up residence in the middle, and will take up residence on YOUR MIDDLE! Also, if it is advertised on television that is a good rule of thumb that it isn’t good for you. Have you ever seen a commercial for Kale?

Eating Clean means filling up on whole grains, nuts, seeds, lean organic protein, an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and lots of clean water.

Another important component of the Eating Clean lifestyle is eating every 3 hours to keep your blood sugar steady – the secret of an efficient metabolism. You will eat a big breakfast, a mid-morning snack, a medium size lunch, an afternoon snack, a pre-dinner snack, and finally, a light dinner.

“The doctor of the future will no longer treat the body with drugs, rather he will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.”

-Thomas Edison

To usher in 2012, and a call to health, we’ve been sharing the top tips for wellness and longevity. I’ve mentioned this before, but in case you missed it, today I’m sharing with you a fairly new science called Nutrigenomics. So what does that mean? Scientists have positive proof of the power of nutrition to improve or decrease health. This revolutionary and breakthrough field of science is called Nutrigenomics.

This is the study of how nutrients affect your genes. You can alter your future health with nutrition. The foods you eat interact with specific genes to increase the risk of certain diseases. They have also been studying how certain foods can change these genes and keep you healthy. This really will revolutionize the way people heal, prevent illness, and lose weight. It is my hope that it changes the way we eat, once and for all!

The most important step we can take toward long-term health begins with our forks! Every bite we take is either an investment in our future health or a debt that we will most likely pay back later. Truly, nutrition plays an enormous part in our overall and long-term well-being. We can’t subsist on lattes, soda, nutrient-deficient processed and fast foods and expect to live long, healthy lives.

Food can heal us! At the same time, the foods that make us fat are the very same foods that can make us sick. It’s a scientific fact that our genes turn on and off based on many factors – one of the most important being food. In other words, if the food we eat heals and supports the function of our bodies, we turn on the genes that lead to longevity and vitality. We enjoy wellness. If, on the other hand, we eat foods that turn off those genes and instead switch on the genes that wake up disease in our bodies, well, you know where that can lead. Disease! What’s really important to know is that our genetic history can, but does not have to, be our destiny. YOU can change it.

So use this scientific information to make the best choices you can for your health. Don’t put it off one more day. It’s that important!

Brand New YOU in 2012 continues. Brand New You tip III is longevity.

I hope this inspires you to tune in each day, because it is truly our passion, and our honor, to bring you the most current tips on how to how to add years to your life, and life to your years!

Today I’m speaking about longevity. It’s really the end goal of why we do everything to remain healthy. Tips 1 and 2 have been about the power of sleep and nutrition. Well today’s tip is about exercise. The three work together, if you only exercise but eat whatever you want and don’t sleep enough, you won’t feel as good as you could.

Did you know it’s now possible for you to add 20 quality years to your life expectancy. We will easily be living to be 100 years old! The studies further indicate that it is possible to add fifty years to the current average and live as long as 130 years old! Will 130 be the new 100?

So what’s the secret to longevity, and what is this proof I speak of? We have been sharing with you the age-old recipe of true wellness; eating well, staying fit and having something you are passionate about. As you know by now there is no magic bullet. Long term wellness requires desire, followed by discipline and willpower. We think the results are well worth it.

There are numerous studies in both the nutrition world and the world of science and physiology. Well the results conclude that we can heal and regenerate our cells. We have something called “telomeres” at the end of each cell. They serve as little caps, which cover and protect our cells. Think of them as the gate keepers, in place, at the ends of each cell, to ward off all the things that age us and lead to illness; inflammation, oxidation, cell division and DNA damage. As we age, and especially when we are under stress, these telomeres shorten and degrade. When it is completely eroded – the cell dies. Without cell regeneration illness can quickly set in.

So what is the holy grail of telomere replenishment?Exercise! We have spoken about the benefits of exercise in many of our pieces, and have listed all of the physical, emotional and even spiritual rewards. This is the first time you will be hearing about exercise to regenerate cells! Imagine anti-aging at the cellular level and for free!

Enzymes are crucial to whole body health and they decline as we age. Well there is an enzyme called telomerase (see how closely it is connected to the telomeres), which helps keep the telomere from fraying and shortening. This critical enzyme is activated by exercise. The enzyme gets activated, your telomeres remain intact (or begin to regenerate), and this slows down the aging and illness process and lengthens your life.

I also speak about nutrition to regenerate cells and turn on the genes of good health, this is the study of nutrigenomics. I will share more about this later in the week. I would write more but I need to go extend my life! So come along with VIB, the best years are yet to be!