• You want to save on medical bills –  Heart stents are $23,000-200,000, a health coach is $75-$300 per visit.  You can’t really put a price on the time you can spend with your family or extra time to be healthy and make contributions to society.  Not to mention the difference you make in the lives of others.

• Need increased energy – do you ever dream of being able to be productive past 3 p.m.?  Do you ever feel like you run out of gas way to early in the day?  Do you feel like you need some kind of boost to get you through?

• Could use help with goals and accountability? – Do you have grand intentions, but you fall off after a couple weeks for one reason or another?

• You really need someone to listen to you. – You would think we could talk to our friends and family, but sometimes no one is there…or they are preoccupied with their own events…or we just want someone who is non judgmental or unattached to the outcome.

• You would like easy access and direction to educational resources on nutrition, fitness and lifestyle.  Health coaches have been educated on thousands of dietary theories, career, family, relationship, fitness, spiritual and nutrition.  While they don’t prescribe, they have the education that allows them to access resources that can benefit and guide.

• You need ways to live a healthy lifestyle and still enjoy time with friends and family, even if they are unhealthy. – It can be pretty tricky when you make healthy changes and the people around you are not ready.  They can throw up road blocks, stand in your way and object.  It can be done and having someone on your side always makes it easier.

• Have a doctors diagnosis and need help following a protocol. – Doctors don’t have time to do everything.  That is where health coaches come in.  A good health coach can work hand in hand with your doctor to help you move toward a healthier lifestyle within the guidelines your doctor sets up for you.

• You don’t have enough time for yourself. – So many of us put so much into everyone else’s lives, we shortchange ourselves.  A health coach can help with that.

• You are stressed and not dealing with it well.  Secrets to alleviate and prevent stress can make you healthier, improve your relationships and even help you to lose weight.

• Chronic health issues have crept up and you just don’t know where to start to make lifestyle changes.  It is really hard to navigate recovery and restoring health.  Knowing the foods that support you and give you immunity, reduce inflammation and give you more energy is only half the battle.  Accountability and support in supporting your health is irreplaceable.  
  

• You’d really like to make some changes but you just can’t seem to stick with it.  A health coach can be the difference between dropping off early and achieving your goals.
  

• Are you considering a diet because you want to lose weight fast?  Health coaches have studied all the dietary theories and will show you how to lose weight by adding, not subtracting.  You will make gradual changes that are sustainable.
  

• A triathlon is coming up and your performance needs to improve.  A health coach has access to everything you need to improve your pre-workout and post workout recovery.  Why try to stumble through it when you can get educated guidance?

• Your family needs to make some nutrition changes and you would like to learn some healthy new recipes.  Learning some new foods and meals can help you bring your family to a new and healthier level.  Health coaches can provide you with recipes that are nutritious and tasty.

• Your kitchen is set up with a deep fat fryer, microwave and you want to reassess your needs for a well equipped healthy kitchen.  A kitchen makeover and grocery store tour can go a long way to get you and your family on the road to nutritious meals.

• You are grieving and could just use an ear.  Dealing with loss involves many feelings, having someone to talk to can help to alleviate depression, fear, guilt, sorrow.  A  health coach can listen when you need it most.

If any of this resonates with you, maybe it is time to give yourself the gift of health.  Talk to a health coach.  A health coach can help you clarify, learn and move forward.  Health coaches are a much needed addition to the field of health care.

What do you think?  Could you use a health coach?

This is our first National Health and Wellness Coach Week!  Congress has recognized the importance of health coaches.

“The United States faces a health crisis due in large part to the prevalence of costly chronic conditions, which are largely brought on by poor lifestyle choices,” Ryan wrote. “Health and Wellness Coaches work with individuals and shift them from being passive recipients of expensive health care interventions to adopting a responsible, self-directed, proactive stance that facilitates lasting positive change. It is vital that Health and Wellness Coaches continue to expand their good work, the nation needs it.”  US Rep Tim Ryan – Ohio  SOURCE- BusinessWire

So happy to have my cousin join me on my morning walk today. At the end of the walk we looked at our Fitbits and she asked me about calories. So that prompted me to my post for today. I’m going to let you in on a little industry like that has been force fed to you.

CALORIES IN DO NOT EQUAL CALORIES OUT!

That’s right! Not all calories are created equal. You could have a candy bar that is 100 calories and some veggies or fruit that are also 100 calories and they will not nourish the body in the same way.

So what are calories and why do they matter? Well think of calories as fuel for your tank. The candy bar would be a lower quality than regular fuel and the fruits/veggies would be your Supreme type of fuel. It’s that simple. Calories are what give us the energy we need to make it through the day.

So if food should energize you, why do you get the “It is”? Because you are eating the wrong foods for your body. Thinking about taste of food is all good and dandy, because believe me, taste does matter. But the nourishing factor comes first.

What are empty calories? Empty calories are calories from foods that have no business in our bodies. They have no micronutrients. Micronutrients consist of vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

Next time you pick up a food, look not just at the amount of calories, but whether the calories will give you energy or not!

Love, Light and Wellness,

Health Coach Natasha

Let’s talk about movement or exercise.  Whatever you feel comfortable calling it.  For some I know the word exercise sounds more like work.  But either way, you must get it in.  Something that we have grown accustomed to as people is being stagnant.  Not getting any movement in our daily activities.  And that’s a problem because the human body was not designed for us to be sitting down all day.  There are benefits handed to us when we move.  And according to the CDC, The Center for Disease Control, these benefits are…

1. Control your weight
2. Reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease
3. Reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome
4. Reduce your risk of some cancers
5. Strengthen your bones and muscles
6. Improve your mental health and mood
7. Improve your ability to do daily activities and prevent falls, if you’re an older adult
8. Increase your chances of living longer

There is a part of us that thrives on movement and that is our lymphatic system.  This system includes but is not limited to lymph nodes, tonsils, the spleen, the appendix, adenoids, and bone marrow.  The lymphatic system is responsible for carrying out toxic waste from every cell, tissue and organs. The waste is in clear fluid called lymph or lymphatic fluid.  But, unlike the heart or kidneys that automatically activate, this system needs for you to make it work.  Without daily exercise put together with a healthy diet, you are allowing the lymphatic system to clog up. A weak immune system is an indicator that you lymphatic system is clogged. When this happens, the result can be as mild as fatigue or as extreme as inflammation and disease.  That is where movement comes in.

And don’t get it twisted, movement doesn’t have to be long, it has to be consistent.  You gotta learn to discipline yourself to put in the work on a daily basis and in spurts.  In the wild, animals play and run in spurts, just like children do.  It’s the way we were made.  So I’ve put together some things you can do to get started.

1. Go For a Walk – This is the most natural form of exercise. It gets the lymphatic fluids moving so they can do their job and remove toxins.  Take it slow, don’t rush and try to walk a few miles if you haven’t been walking at all.  Start with walking for 5 minutes at an even pace and when you can do that with ease double the time. Continue this until you are walking with no issue for as long as you want.  To make it a bit more challenging, up your speed or wear weights as you walk
2. Get Up and Move – Really and truly, this is exactly as it sounds. Get up and start moving and doing things.  Get your own remote control.  Clean your house.  Start a garden. These are subtle movements, but they are a way to move and get your body to work as it should.
3. Rebounding – No, I’m not talking about basketball… When we were kids, jumping on a bed is something we got in trouble for.  But we did not know, that jumping as fun as it was for us, is the only exercise that works every single cell in the body.  As adults we can use a simple tool called the rebounder.  These are mini trampolines that range in price from about $79 on up to $800.  You can get them with a handle so that you don’t fall off.  You really don’t need an expensive one just to jump.  And you only need to be on it for a minimum of 5-10 minutes per day.  If rebounding is something you don’t want to do, you can get a balance ball and sit on it and bounce up and down.
4. Dance – Music makes us feel good. So you can put on some of your favorite songs that will make you move and spend 30 minutes dancing.  That’s something that is simple and can be done impromptu.
5. Yoga – Yoga is an ancient form of exercise that goes so far back, there isn’t an exact time frame of when it started. It focuses on your breath and stretching.  It is especially beneficial for those who need to sit or stand all day long in their job.
6. Swimming – Swimming is an activity that uses the whole body and as a result also has an positive impact on the lymphatic system. You don’t have to swim like you are in the Olympics, so a leisurely swim will work.

If you need more of a challenge take a class at your local gym, kickboxing center or location that has Zumba.  All in all, you need to choose what works for you.  Try something that doesn’t feel like work and you will have no problem making a commitment to movement.

It’s a HOT day in New Jersey! As a little girl I loved a good soft serve chocolate ice cream with plenty of chocolate sprinkles.  I never was a fan of any other flavor but chocolate. Since I have become a cleaner eater, I know that I can no longer go to Carvel’s Ice Cream, Baskin Robbins, or Coldstone Creamery to get one of their ultimate chocolate, chocolate flavors.  So to beat the heat today, I decided to make some ice cream.

This is not your average ice cream.  Not by any means!  This is the best, the most delicious frozen banana ice cream!  This is a tasty treat that not only you, but the kids will love.  Did I say there is no need to add sugar?  Well there is no need to add sugar because the bananas take care of all the sweet.

I initially found a recipe for the banana ice cream online and decided to try my hand at it.  The recipe I found had a few ingredients I wasn’t fond of, so I shortened it and made it simple to my liking!  Today, in addition to my basic banana ice cream recipe, I added 3 tablespoons of raw cacao powder and a handful of strawberries.

Below is a recipe for my Basic Banana Ice Cream.  Click it to download the recipe.  All the ingredients are organic.  Place in freezer if you want a harder ice cream.

I can definitely Rock With It!

Adapted from IIN’s Approach to Secondary Food.

Secondary Foods are what we eat.

They include what modern nutrition considers carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Many experts will tell you to eat low-carbs/high protein, while others recommend eating higher carbs/low protein. Some say eat raw, others say cooked is the only way to go. And fats continue to be the way marketers get you to buy their product (by calling it “low-fat”), while actually providing you with no nutrition, and usually high sugar content.

Nutrition is a fledgling science and, as such, we can find many conflicting and competing theories for the “best” way we should eat – all of which have mounds of research backing them up. Nonetheless, all dietary regimes contain some version, in varying quantities, of proteins, carbohydrates and fats – our Secondary Foods. The keys to “good” nutrition include understanding your Bio-Individuality, and including enough whole foods (unprocessed, unrefined, not in a box) in your Secondary Foods, to provide high quality nutrition.

We use Secondary Food as a way to alleviate or suppress biological hunger. While Secondary Food is a form of nourishment, it does not account for the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual nourishment that we receive from primary food.

Primary Food is more than what you find on your plate.

Healthy relationships, regular physical activity, a fulfilling career and a spiritual practice can fill your soul and satisfy your hunger for life. When Primary Food is balanced and satiated, your life feeds you, making what you eat secondary.

You can use healthy Secondary Food to “crowd out” the habitual consumption of unhealthy food.

The more whole foods – like fruits, vegetables and grains – you add to your diet, the less room there is for unhealthy foods. If you fill your body with healthy, nutrient-dense foods, your cravings for unhealthy foods will lessen. We call this “crowding out.” That means, eating a healthy diet is not about taking away, but adding in.

Drinking lots of water and eating nutrient-rich Secondary Foods earlier in the day is another way to crowd out cravings later in the day. Balancing Primary Foods and Secondary Foods provides the basis for optimal, sustainable health! Want to find out more about this?

What’s the one conversation that could change your life?
If you have questions, or would like to schedule a free 30-minute consultation, click here. I’d love to hear from you!
Contact me today to schedule your free initial consultation.

It’s not just the food we eat, but other factors present in our daily lives that nourish and fulfill us. Healthy relationships, a fulfilling career, regular physical activity and a spiritual awareness are essential forms of nourishment. When these “primary foods” are balanced, what you eat, which we call Secondary Foods, falls more easily into balance. When “primary foods” are out of balance, our eating and our health can be out of balance as well. I will support you in achieving all of your goals, from eating the right foods for your body to living an inspired, fulfilling life.

This is adapted from IIN’s Approach to Primary Food.

Food is more than what you find on your plate.

Healthy relationships, regular physical activity, a fulfilling career and a spiritual practice can fill your soul and satisfy your hunger for life. When primary food is balanced and satiated, your life feeds you, making what you eat secondary.

Remember when, as a child, you were playing outside, having fun? Suddenly your mother announced dinner was ready, but you were not hungry at all. The passion of play took all your attention. Or think back to a time when you were passionately in love. Everything was exciting. Colors were vibrant. Intimacy was magical. Your feelings of exhilaration sustained you. You forgot about food and were high on life.

Sometimes we are fed not by food but by the energy in our lives.

Modern nutrition – carbs, proteins, fruits, and vegetables – is really just one source of nourishment, which Integrative Nutrition considers secondary food. Secondary foods nourish our bodies, but are not able to give us the joy, meaning, or fulfillment that primary food provides. We hunger for play, fun, touch, romance, intimacy, love, achievement, success, art, music, self-expression, leadership, excitement, adventure, and spirituality. All these elements are essential forms of nourishment, and the extent to which we are able to incorporate them determines how enjoyable and worthwhile our lives feel.

When we use secondary food as a way to alleviate or suppress our hunger for primary food, the body and mind suffer.

Weight gain is just one of the consequences. Diet-related disorders such as heart disease, cancer, obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes are national epidemics, and one of the main reasons is because we are stuffing ourselves with secondary foods when we are really starving for primary food. If you’re not getting the primary food you need, eating all the food in the world won’t satisfy your hunger.

The concept of bio-individuality is that each person has unique food and lifestyle needs. One person’s food is another person’s poison, and that’s why fad diets tend to fail in the long run. Working on the principle of bio-individuality, I’ll support you to make positive changes that are based on your unique needs, lifestyle, preferences, and ancestral background. I use a personalized, holistic approach to ensure that you will have great success!

Bio-Individuality™ is such an important concept in current nutrition theory, IIN even trademarked the term. There’s no one-size-fits-all diet – each person is a unique individual with highly individualized nutritional requirements. Personal differences in anatomy, metabolism, body composition and cell structure all influence your overall health and the foods that make you feel your best. That’s why no single way of eating works for everyone. The food that is perfect for your unique body, age, and lifestyle may make another person gain weight and feel lethargic.

Men eat differently than women, children eat differently than adults, and we all have very different preferences. Our personal tastes and inclinations, natural shapes and sizes, blood types, metabolic rates and genetic backgrounds influence what foods will and won’t nourish us.

What did your ancestors eat?

One of the major factors shaping bio-individuality is ancestry. If many generations of your ancestors from Scandinavia were accustomed to eating dairy on a daily basis, it’s likely that your body will be able to assimilate dairy foods.

Most traditional African communities did not regularly consume milk products, by contrast, so it makes sense that a lot of people of African descent today are lactose intolerant.

Here’s another example.  There are some people who are intolerant to the wheat grown in the United States. That means their body perceives the gluten protein as a foreign invader and responds accordingly.   However, they can eat pizza almost everyday in Italy with no problem. The U.S. has been increasing the gluten present in the wheat it grows to unnatural proportions.

How fast is your metabolism?

Another aspect of bio-individuality is metabolism, or the rate at which you convert food into energy. You may recall that as a teenager you could wolf down burgers, fries, soda and ice cream all in one meal, without any indigestion or tightening of your jeans. That’s because young people have faster metabolic rates and burn calories more quickly than adults. And if you’re now over 35-years old, as a kid or teen, you probably were outside moving around, not sitting in front of a video game. Even adults have different types of metabolic activity that all require varying proportions of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Knowing what you metabolize best will help you choose foods that support your individual body.

These are just a few of the factors that influence what foods will and won’t nourish you.

Ultimately, one person’s food may be another person’s poison, and that is why fad diets don’t work in the long run. You need to find the diet that works for you and your needs. People are different, and getting to know your own body is an essential step in staying healthy! Working with a health coach can help you determine the most beneficial ways of eating for your bio-individual body.