Archives for December 2012

Who Will You Be In 2013?

December 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment

We’re at the tail end of the holidays, here, with just a few more days until the calendar changes to 2013.

I don’t know about you, but between the on-going holiday celebrations, visiting relatives and late night hours, my schedule’s been completely thrown off.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’ve enjoyed the warmth, camaraderie and excess of good food – yes all of it!

Yet every year at this time, I reach a point where I’m ready for things to get back to normal.

That means fewer holiday goodies to indulge in, and healthier choices overall.

How about you?

What are your goals for 2013?

With the New Year in mind, here are three simple suggestions for getting your life back on track.

 

Be Prepared

No matter how organized you are, realize that stuff is going to happen.

Sometimes it means being stuck in traffic for hours – leaving you hungry, tired and frustrated with not a bite to eat.

Not to mention your schedule completely thrown off.

Other times, it could be an Act of God.

Of course, Acts of God are not an excuse to eat whatever you want.

Whether planning a shopping trip or a visit to a local museum, it doesn’t matter – you want to look ahead to possible scenarios that might come up.

Are you going to be home in time for lunch?

If not, where will you likely eat?

What will you eat?

If you’re not sure, bring something with you.

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Filed Under: EAT, HEALTH & WELLNESS Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Are Your Holidays “Green” ?

December 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

‘Green’ has become quite the buzz-word of late.

First and foremost, it’s the color we associate with Nature. 

It’s soothing and reliable like the dark green of a forest, or the brilliant green of summer grasses.

More and more, we also associate the color Green with a safe,  eco-friendly lifestyle.

And “greening” your holidaysoffers one more opportunity to up the ante, so to speak – and update your decor with eco-safe options.

Of course, along with the mantra to  “Reduce, Re-Use and Recycle” there’s also the recommendation to eat your Greens.

For some of us, this might be the most challenging of all!

However, relying on lots of leafy greens and vegetables as a mainstay of your diet, is a sure fire way to boost your health.

There are lots of ways to sneak extra greens into your daily meals, whether adding a handful to a smoothie (it really doesn’t affect the taste, I promise) – or relying on oversized leaves as a wrap, in lieu of bread.

So – just in time for the holidays – here’s another idea for incorporating greens into your diet.

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Filed Under: LIVE Tagged With: , , , , ,

‘TIS THE SEASON

December 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Recently, I wrote about the giving of gifts, and my fascination with the Japanese scroll.

The Japanese scroll, as you may recall, reveals itself just like a gift when removed from the custom box it has been stored in.

A home can reveal itself in very much the same way.

If you think about it, just the act of entering someone’s home can feel like a ceremony.

As you move from room to room the house will continue to reveal itself.

There could be a pleasant surprise around any corner, maybe even the kind that takes your breath away.

“Oh, what a beautiful room!” we’ve all been known to say at one time or another.

This is one reason why both designers and architects will typically hold back with their design.

We don’t want to overpower your senses all at once.

We want you to take things in a little bit at a time, and take a moment to savor the design before revealing the next surprise.

So take a moment to to ask yourself  – what is the first impression visitors have when they enter your home?

Let’s start with the Entry.

The main entrance to your abode should always say something about the person who lives there, i.e. YOU, so the question is – what do you want your entry to say about you?

You can emphasize either your decorating style, or your personal interests, thus setting the tone for the rest of your home.

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Filed Under: HOLISTIC HOME Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

How To Be Your Best Advocate

December 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Does this ever happen to you?

You’re at the home of a friend, or well meaning relative, and as you sit down to enjoy a cup of tea – you’re presented with some cookies, or other savory treats – that have been purchased especially for you.

(I just love it when people are so thoughtful, don’t you?)

As you glance at the list of ingredients (yes, I’m always reading labels), you notice that:

  • The product is not gluten-free, OR
  • While it’s gluten-free, there may be one or two other ingredients that are not in compliance with your special diet.

What to do?

This is one of those tricky moments when you want to honor yourself and how you choose to nourish your body – yet you don’t want to offend.

Well, here’s the deal.

Regardless of our individual food allergies, dietary preferences or concerns – we are always going to come up against this sort of thing.

It’s simply part of life and can’t be avoided.

Still, there are always choices, right?

So, in these situations, my rule of thumb is this:

If you’ve been medically diagnosed, and have been instructed by your doctor not to eat gluten – then please don’t.

It’s really important that you honor that, regardless of the circumstances.

(Seriously – you’ll be shooting yourself in the foot.)

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Filed Under: EAT, RECIPES Tagged With: , , , ,

How To Avoid The Sugar Blues

December 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Truth be told, the best way to avoid the sugar blues is to, well – simply not eat it.

Easier said than done, I know.

The thing is, there are plenty of sweet options that don’t have to involve refined sugar – things like honey, and agave nectar, or coconut sugar.

I even discuss this (briefly) in my FREE HOLIDAY GIFT – “44 Ways to be Gloriously Gluten-Free, Through the Holidays and Beyond.”

Yes, it might seem like an odd thing to even mention in the midst of the holiday season, with sweet temptations beckoning to us from all directions.

However, it’s not all that uncommon for someone to be diagnosed as either allergic, or sensitive, to sugar.

So, I try to keep this, and all other allergens, in mind.

Another thing to be aware of, is that it isn’t just white sugar in its traditional form that’s the villain, here.

Too many carbs in general – especially the “white stuff” like potatoes, rice and flour – are empty calories that offer little nutritional value.

So why not experiment with other sweeteners, for some of your holiday baking?

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