All posts tagged paleo

September 17, 2014 · Blog

What is Vitamin P?

My newest goal in life is to include more play and pleasure into my everyday, which are equally as important as good food and exercise.

 

I woke up on Sunday morning to a clear, cool, and sunny day.“What a great day to go rent bikes in Central Park, ride to the Boathouse and have a drink,” I said to my husband. This was not my idea, but was a good idea given to me by friends as we walked on the High-line in Chelsea last Saturday night.  I made a mental note and thought, wow, I have to do this!  I don’t always have such great ideas myself, but I am good at picking them up wherever I can and putting them to good use.

 

So, that Sunday, I skipped my morning workout, which is usually not so much fun, or very long, and rode a bike with my husband through Central Park for a few hours.  We laughed and enjoyed the beautiful park together, and I hardly realized I was riding!   Okay, maybe it was the Paradise Martini at the Boathouse (which I highly recommend), but really I think it was the exhilaration of good company and plain old having fun. Here’s to exercise that doesn’t feel like work! Cheers!

We went for an early dinner. I had a tricolor salad and tuna steak with a red wine reduction, spinach and mashed potatoes. It was delicious, I might add.  I ate slowly, happily and enjoyed every bite.

The result of my fun day was so amazing for my mind and body. I was relaxed, in a great mood and I slept soundly at night. I actually felt my endorphins elevated and I just felt good!!  I also noticed how good my digestion was in this state.  This is called the Cephalic Phase Digestive Response, which basically means that happy chemicals = good digestion.

I read a book by Norman Cousins, The Anatomy of an Illness.  In it he wrote about how he cured his disease with laughter.  He watched I love Lucy and other comedies and laughed so hard that it stimulated all the healing chemicals of the body. There is something to play and pleasure.  If stress, as we know, is harmful, well what’s the opposite?

Beyond nutrition and physical activity, we can infuse joy into our food, and fun into our exercise.  It is a mistake to assume diet is the only reason for good or bad health. Even when the intake of food is perfectly figured out, we should never forget that play and pleasure are key components of good health.

Think of play and pleasure as Vitamin P.  A big dose is recommended very often!

 

http://www.prevention.com/mind-body/emotionalmental-health http://www.nifplay.org/opportunities/personal-health/

 

 

 

September 24, 2013 · Recipes

Almond Milk

1 cup organic almonds

4 cups pure water

1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

stevia to taste (optional) or 2 dates

1 nut milk bag

Put almonds, water, vanilla, and stevia in a blender. Blend on high speed until well blended and smooth.

pour through a nut bag or cheese cloth into pitcher and squeeze. The milk will keep well in the fridge up to 4 days.

Fresh. Raw. Homemade. Awesome!

May 8, 2013 · Blog

How Should You Drink Your Water, Hot or Cold or Room Temperature?

For over 20 years I have been drinking water at room temperature, except for a brief period when I was following the Ayurvedic suggestions that had me drinking hot water through out the day. (Truth is, it’s very relaxing.)

Many opinions hold that cold water makes the body work too hard.  It has to expend energy to first bring it to body temperature and then digest it.  These opinions suggest a loving approach to the body; don’t be too hard on it.

Last week I posted about the leptin reset that I am doing. It’s going real well, thank you.  The same Dr. Jack Kruse has another protocol that goes along with it. It is called Cold Thermogenesis (CT).  Ever hear about the Polar Bear Club? The people who swim in the ocean in midwinter? That is the ultimate CT.

The protocol starts by exposing the body gradually to cold.  First drinking cold water and taking cooler and cooler showers then dunking your face for increased times in ice cold water and finally ice packs and ice baths for the body. The ice baths are an advanced technique to be used under the supervision of a health practitioner.  Dr. Kruse claims that this protocol;

  • Increases metabolism
  • Is amazing for weight loss
  • Reverses inflammation
  • Better sleep
  • Better recovery from exercise
  • Boosts thyroid and adrenal function

Athletes, military units, and scientists have used this to increase the limits of human endurance.

Ray Cronise at Thermogenex – Fuel the Burn, says you only need to expose yourself to temps below your body temp to reap the benefits. Cool showers (60-75 deg), swimming in cool water (70-80 deg), and lowering your ambient temperature (house thermostat) to below 60 degrees are all good ways to increase CT.

Dr. Kruse advocates ice baths and extreme cold air temps found in walk-in chillers to be better. He says you should shoot for a skin temp of 55 degrees in your CT session. If this is done, care should be taken to avoid hypothermia and frostbite. He also advises starting by soaking your face in cold water to activate the ‘mammalian dive reflex’. Mammalian diving reflex – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

These opinions drive the body and push it to be in better internal shape. It’s kind of like the difference between restorative yoga and hard-core Crossfit training. You choose.

Warm water is definitely more soothing and comfortable. The thought of cold showers makes me cringe. However I know that uncomfortable situations do make us grow in many ways.

I am kind of on the fence on this one.  As far as weightloss is concerned, weightloss remedies always have some thing in them that increases heat in the body to speed up metabolism. That is exactly what CT does.  I do like the idea and the benefits of Cold Thermogenesis. I may just start with a glass of cold water and give my body a little internal workout!

I would love to hear what you think of this in the comments below. Let’s get this conversation going!!!

 

February 20, 2013 · Recipes

Chicken Salad

left over cooked chicken about 1 1/2 cups cubed

1 tomatoe cut in cubes

1 cucumber cut in cubes

1/2 an avocado cut in cubes

1 stalk of celery diced

1 tsp of homemade mayonnaise

himalayan salt and pepper to taste

-combine chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers and celery

– mix in mayonnaise

-fold in avocado gently

-add  salt and pepper

Enjoy!

 

 

 

September 10, 2012 · Recipes

Zucchini Pasta with Pesto

A year after discovering my zucchini spaghetti machine, I am still making that yummy dish. I’ve been trying so many variations.

My latest is with pesto. Mmmmm, so tasty.
– make 8 zucchini squashes into spaghetti, with the speghetti- maker.see my “zucchini spaghetti”
post.
-put the zucchini into a pot, drizzle 2 tbsp of liquified coconut oil, 1 tsp salt , and steam covered for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently until soft and spaghetti-like.
-Drain excess water, pour into a large bowl, mix with pesto
-Garnish with fresh organic cherry tomatoes, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
-Enjoy!