Exercise the Demons

In honor of Halloween, the topic is exercising the demons out! No, not exorcise, cause that's scary, but exercise, which is...less scary.  I'm going to try to turn you on to the idea. No, there will not be any pictures of me in a Halloween costume exercising, although I'm sure that would be hilarious and frightening. So instead, I will show you cute pictures of Zoey getting some of her boundless, demon energy out.

This week is my first week of training for the Carlsbad Half Marathon, happening on January 27th! My friend Marissa convinced me to join her, twisted my arm really (Haha! just kidding). I've never run any type of race before, so this will be interesting. For the next couple of months, I will post on our progress as we train to run 13.1 miles. It sounds a little crazy to me right now, running that distance at one time, but people do! Some people even run full marathons of 26.2 miles! Now that's insane! The thought of that makes my knees ache and fall off. But beginning this week, I will amp up my workout routine, running a few more miles and adding a three days of cross training in between.  It will be a challenge but I'm excited to see what my body can do.

Soooo, today, I would love to talk about...

GETTING SOME EXERCISE!!

I've mentioned exercise before but only briefly. Today, I want to encourage you to get out there and sweat. It's not a secret that exercise is essential for good health but so few people actual get it. With technology, conveniences, working long hours, exercise can be forgotten in the daily routine.  Most Americans sit at a desk, on a computer at their jobs. This, of course, was not what the human body was meant for. Think about it, 100 years ago (or less) humans got their daily exercise from their work, but unless you're an athlete, construction worker, or farmer, for example, we simply do not move unless it's making copies or grabbing some coffee.  Honestly, I doubt that this type of work life will last long.  As humans, it is not reasonable to sit 40-50 hours a week (not including the hours of watching TV at home), indoors away from natural sunlight, staring at a computer screen all day. Isn't it kind of depressing?

But since we can't make changes over night, we need to find ways to exercise the demons out! 

People who exercise regularly:

• Improve physical health and quality of life
• Improve psychological well-being (stress, depression, anxiety)
• Have increased energy levels
• Are better able to manage weight 
• Sleep better
• Reduce hypertension, high blood pressure and can even help fight diabetes
• Have increased bone strength
• Don't get sick as often
• Have better concentration 
• Better circulation
• Have a better sex life, and if that doesn't get you motivated, I don't know what will. 

But you know all of this!  How can we get you to exercise? I think the most important thing is to do something that you love! For me, I love to workout outdoors, in nature. I run on dirt trails at a beautiful park near my home.  I take my dog Zoey and we both get a great workout while having fun! I run, hike, climb and walk and switch it up constantly. I go a different path every time to explore new terrain and prevent boredom. I go 3-4 times a week and spend on average 45-60 minutes on the trails in the evenings around sunset. What I get out of this precious time with myself and nature is fresh oxygen, a good sweat, a sense of adventure and accomplishment, and relief from any stresses or things that are bothering me at the time. When you workout your body, you also workout your mind, meaning decisions are made either consciously or unconsciously. Your problems are sorted out and perhaps the endorphins that flood the brain reduce the level of care you have about a certain issue, making it not so important anymore. Either way, exercise quiets the mind and gives you peace. That is what I experience every time I get to the trails and run.

This is what I propose...

Find a form or exercise that you love. This is so important! If you don't love going to the gym, then don't go to the gym! What's great about exercise is that you can do it almost anywhere and it can be free! Anything from running, hiking, walking, bicycling (riding your bike to work is a great way to get exercise and to save money), playing a sport you enjoy, swimming, surfing, or yoga, there is a form of exercise for everyone!. It needs to be something that makes you happy and something that you can do for the long run. If you don't love it, you will not do it. If you've hated exercise in the past, it's probably because you were not doing something you enjoyed.

For all the people that live in a colder climate, check out recreational sports for some fun, indoor activities. When we lived in Chicago, we played dodge ball and indoor volleyball in the winter (softball and beach volleyball in the Spring/Summer). There are plenty of indoor recreational sports to choose from. But if playing a sport isn't your thing then I'd recommend checking out a gym or taking a class of some sort. I love Bikram Yoga (hot yoga) during the coldest months of the year. Additionally, there are tons of workout DVDs to do in the comfort of your own home. There are plenty of options! I recommend checking out www.meetup.com in your area to find some great classes and sporting events to join and best of all, some of these activities are free!

Make sure you get at least 30 minutes of exercise 3 times a week. Start there. It doesn't have to be 5 days a week! Start slow. Once you find something you love to do you will want to do it 3 times a week, if not more. But don't over do it at first, it can lead to injury. When I started running at the trails, I loved it so much the I found myself there almost everyday. I ended up with a busted knee and had to lay low for a few days. After some rest, I was back to running again but not everyday, 3-4 days works best for me.

Another important note: Exercising can increase your hunger, and could make you overeat. Just be mindful of that and try not to overindulge...too much. Drink plenty of water before and after your workouts.

Find the right time to exercise. For me, it's in the evenings after work. That time works for me because I've had a few meals and am fueled up for the run. I get better results and am happier doing it then.  You might find that the mornings work best for you or that you have time during your lunch break to fit it in. Experiment with different times to see what best works for you and when you get the best workout.  

Side note, try to get outside for a 10 minute walk during a break at work. It will help the day to go by with less stress and it's always good to get a little sunlight and fresh air to keep you going throughout the work day.

You need to get your heart rate up. When you work out, it's important to raise your heart rate in order to get effective exercise. You will know you are getting a good workout when you are breathing more heavily, starting to sweat and your heart is pumping faster. Raising the heart rate increases the heart's efficiency, oxygenating the blood and pumping it throughout the body with more ease. So, if you plan on walking for your exercise, make sure that it is challenging, swing your arms and pick up the pace or walk up hills. Just make sure to raise your heart rate just enough to sweat and your breath quickens. You should still be able to talk but only a few words per breath. This is a good test to see if you have a good enough pace.

Don't forget to stretch. It's important to stretch after a workout to reduce the risk of injury. Stretching increases your range of motion and flexibility.  It's best to stretch when muscles are warmed up. This is one of my favorite parts of the workout because it continues to calm the mind, returns your heart rate to it's normal level and it relaxes the body. 

Of course, you can always add some strength training into your routine but I would suggest to start slow and to not put too much pressure on yourself. Make sure you enjoy it! I like to do yoga, so sometimes I'll add 1 or 2 yoga classes a week to increase my strength and flexibility. You can also do strength training at home easily and cheaply with resistance bands and or free weights. 

Sooooo, what do you think?! Do you think you can start exercising?? It's just 3 days a week for 30 minutes at a time.  Try it out, find a form that you love. Go out for a walk or run, hike at a park, swim at the YMCA, or play a recreational sport. Just get moving. You will feel great, look great, reduce stress, and create a healthier life for yourself. 

I don't know about you but I am pumped! Stay tuned for new posts regarding half marathon training and plant-based meal plans for marathon trainers.

Go get your sweat on!
K

Raw Oatmeal Porridge with Peaches & Strawberries

For the past few months, Steve and I have been eating Raw Oatmeal Porridge for breakfast on the weekends. We crave it! Never heard of cold oatmeal before? It might not sound that appealing but it's really delicious! Before my green smoothie days, this porridge was a staple dish. Might sound crazy, but I used make this for breakfast at my desk when I worked in the office. I used to make such a mess! This is one of those recipes I learned back in culinary school, tweaked a bit to make it healthier and honestly, tastier. It's super easy, super healthy and the toppings are limitless.  Instead of cooking the oatmeal, soak it in coconut milk or nut milk for about 10 minutes until soft. Just like my dad, I never really liked the classic oatmeal porridge, all hot and mushy, pretty much flavorless. It just wasn't something we ate growing up. But now that I've found a different method...aw man, I dig the stuff!! I like it raw! 

Trust me, it's very easy to make! As I mentioned, I used to make this at my desk so it had to be easy! This is how I pulled that off...I measured out a bag of oatmeal, a few cups or so, with cinnamon (maybe 1 tsp), a little sea salt (cause oatmeal needs some flavor) and kept that bag in one of my drawers at my desk. Also stored in my drawer of goodies was honey for tea, almonds or walnuts (for snacks), and I usually had almond milk in the fridge, but you could also just use water to soak the oatmeal. Then every couple of days I brought fresh fruit to work. While the oatmeal was soaking, I cut up the fruit and chopped the nuts (didn't think about buying pre-chopped nuts until now). When the oatmeal was soft and had absorbed the liquid, I added the fruit, nuts, and drizzled honey on top...and cleaned up the huge mess I made. It was fabulous, healthy, filling and quite frankly, everyone wanted some. 

If you're trying to avoid gluten, you can always buy gluten free oatmeal, just make sure it says so on the bag. Oatmeal doesn't contain wheat gluten but most of the time it is processed on the same line as wheat products. Just keep an eye out if you have any sensitivities. Oatmeal is very good for your heart, for lowering cholesterol and for giving you strength and energy throughout the day. When I eat this for breakfast I feel satisfied and grounded.  It's incredibly filling because oats are not stripped of their bran and germ during the hulling process, leaving plenty of fiber and nutrients including manganese, selenium, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc.

There is a base to this recipe which is the oatmeal, coconut or nut milk, 1 grated or small diced apple, lemon juice, cinnamon, honey and sea salt. After that, it's up to you! Usually I'll add seasonal fruit, nuts, protein and omega 3's with the help of hemp, chia and flax seeds for even more nutritional punch! The toppings are limitless! You could add cacoa powder to the oatmeal for a chocolaty breakfast (recipe coming soon) with an assortment of berries, nut butters, bananas and walnuts for something special. Get crazy with it! I always encourage tweaking my recipes as you see fit. 

Raw Oatmeal Porridge with Peaches & Strawberries 
Makes 2-3 servings. My toppings vary depending on what I have on hand, but the base of the porridge is usually the same.

Base Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups of oatmeal (gluten free if needed)
1 cup of coconut milk or nut milk
1 small apple grated (I used a Granny Smith apple)
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1-2 tbsp of honey
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt

Toppings:
1 cup of sliced strawberries
1-2 peaches sliced
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts (or any nut you like)
1 tbsp Flax Seeds
1 tbsp Chia Seeds
1 tbsp Hemp Seeds
Drizzle of honey

1. Using a medium sized bowl, soak the oatmeal in the coconut milk or nut milk for about 8-10 minutes. 
2. While the oatmeal is soaking, grate the small apple on top of oatmeal. Add the juice of the lemon, honey, cinnamon and sea salt on top as well. Don't stir just yet.
3. Slice the strawberries and peaches (or whatever fruit you have). Chop the walnuts and add the fruit and walnuts to the bowl.
4. Stir the contents of the bowl adding the flax, chia and hemp seeds on top with an additional drizzle of honey.

You can eat straight out of the bowl like Steve and I do or serve in individually sized portions. Feel free to add more nuts and honey on top.

This breakfast will keep you full until lunch, no mid-morning hunger pains, I promise.

Enjoy!
K

  

Lemon Glazed Citrus Cupcakes

One year ago today, this happened....

Stephen and I got married! And in celebration of our one year anniversary, I decided to make Lemon Glazed Citrus Cupcakes because that was the same cake I made for our wedding! That's right...I made my own wedding cake! With the help of Stephen, his brother Matthew and my dear friend Kristina, we put together a lovely vegan wedding cake.  I had the guys zesting and juicing lemons until their hands were soar and sweet Kristina helped me assemble and ice the cake and she did the lovely decorations. Seriously, if it wasn't for you three, I don't know how I would have managed such a task!  

Cassandra Eldridge Photography

Cassandra Eldridge Photography

Cassandra Eldridge Photography

It was a DIY wedding, my good friends and family helped with the decorations of the gallery where we had our reception, my bridesmaids helped make my veil, did the flower arrangements, we made gorgeous paper flower ivy which hung above the wedding party's table...it was unbelievable! My closest friends from culinary school catered the reception and the food was amazing! And this goes without saying, but without our parents, none of this would have even happened. There are just too many wonderful things about our wedding and reception and too many people to thank.  We will never forget that day, all of our wonderful friends and family who helped make it possible (with such a small budget I might add). And of course, the delicious cake!

There are a few adjustments that I made here, one being, I made it gluten-free as well! Instead of using wheat flour I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour.  Also, instead of making a frosting, I went with a lemon glaze because IT IS SO GOOD!!! Lemon glazed anything tastes like heaven. It's ridiculously easy, just lemon juice and powdered sugar.  Not the healthiest thing on Earth, but hey, we're celebrating!

 

This recipe made a perfect dozen...although some are bigger than others, I will not discriminate. They will each be eaten equally. Since I go crazy for lemon glaze I double dunked the cupcakes letting the first layer set before dunking again. Yeah baby! That's what I'm talking about!  I might be on a sugar high right now...I'm typing faster than ever!  Might need to do a juice cleanse.  Next week! After these puppies are gone.

Lemon Glazed Citrus Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup of flour or Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour
1 cup of sugar (I used turbinado) 
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of lemon and lime juice (2 lemons 2 limes)
2 tbsp of lemon and lime zest 
5 tbsp of coconut oil
1 tsp of vanilla 
1 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of apple cider vinegar 
1 vanilla bean (optional, slit down the center using the back of a knife, scrap seeds out)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pan with paper cups.
2. Sift the flour and baking soda into a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl combine the rest of the ingredients, the wet ingredients. Whisk together well.  
4. Slowly add the wet ingredients into the large bowl with the flour. It will fizzle a bit from the citrus and the baking soda. Stir to combine. 
5. Then ladle cake batter into the paper cups and bake for 15-20 minutes.  Use a toothpick to see if they are ready. Make sure not to over bake.
6. Allow to cool for 20 minutes or so before glazing.  Yes, you'll have a wait a little while longer.

Lemon Glaze

Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
Juice and zest of 2 lemons

1. Whisk ingredients together. If you want it thinner add more juice, thicker add more powdered sugar. I nearly doubled the glaze recipe due to the sugar high. 
2. After cupcakes have cooled, dunk them into the glaze and set back down to set...or you could just eat them right away.

It's that easy and that tasty.  Happy Anniversary love!

<3
K

p.s. Our wedding photographer was Cassandra Eldridge. She is fabulous! She takes such beautiful photos and I would totally recommend her! Check out her blog at http://cassandraeldridge.com/.  

Cassandra Eldridge Photography
http://cassandraeldridge.com

Oh OHHhhmega 3's!!

It's so hard to write a fun post about something as boring, but majorly important, as essential fatty acids. But since this information is so vital to health, I urge you to read on and hopefully I can make it fun along the way.

There's been a lot of buzz about Omega 3 fatty acids the past few years, which is great because omega 3's are essential for our health. But do you have any idea why it's important??  Some of you smarties might now, at which point, you better be partaking!!  Or else, you're no longer a smarty, there I said it.  But for the rest of us out there the most important thing to know about omega 3 fatty acids is that it is an awesome, kick ass anti-inflammatory!!  And why do we care about that???? Now pay attention to this! The root cause of chronic disease is inflammation.  For the people in the back....

THE ROOT CAUSE OF CHRONIC DISEASE IS INFLAMMATION!!!!

Now, not all inflammation is bad, it is a natural response of our bodies when injured or infected, such as redness and swelling. This type of inflammation is localized, short lived and can even save our lives. When the threat of injury or invasion of a virus is over, the immune system shuts off the response and everything goes back to normal.  That's the good news about inflammation.

Here's the bad. Sometimes our bodies are so overwhelmed by either stress, our diet, toxins that surround us and that we ingest, that the "turn off" response never happens and chronic inflammation occurs. BTW, in case you were wondering, chronic means, to last for a long time. Chronic inflammation is dangerous and researches are finding that it could be the source of all chronic diseases! It is life threatening and causes loads of diseases such as...

• Alzheimer's disease
• Asthma
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Bipolar disorder
• Cancer
• Cardiovascular disease
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Eczema
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Huntington's disease
• Lupus
• Migraine headaches
• Multiple sclerosis
• Obesity
• Osteoarthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Psoriasis
• Rheumatoid arthritis

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=84

What causes inflammation, you ask? (I'm so glad you're interested!) Tons of things can cause inflammation like stress, bacteria, viruses, parasites (gross), toxins, some foods, sugar, smoking, high blood-insulin levels and obesity, to name a few. So, from this list I'm sure you can understand why this is such a problem. So many people are addicted to sugar, have stress, encounter toxins and viruses, and let's not forget that over 30% of Americans are obese (it's predicted to be around 50% by 2030, that's scary!) and 60%, if not more, are overweight and on their way to possibly being obese. Americans are overweight, eating more than we should, but are in fact, nutritionally starved. Research has shown that 99% of Americans are deficient in omega 3s.

Here are some things to look out for.

Some symptoms of omega 3 deficiencies include:

• Depression
• Dry Skin
• Fatigue
• Heart problems
• Mood Swings
• Poor circulation
• Poor memory

Symptoms of low grade inflammation are:

• Body aches and pains
• Congestion
• Frequent infections
• Diarrhea
• Dry eyes
• Indigestion
• Shortness of breath
• Skin outbreaks
• Swelling
• Stiffness
• Weight gain/obesity

Here are some foods that cause inflammation and should be avoided.

• Alcohol
• Barbecued foods (and blackened foods)
• Beef
• Dairy
• Deep fried foods, French fries
• Fried chicken
• Organ meats (like liver, heart, giblets)
• Over cooked foods or foods cooked at high temperatures 
• Refined carbohydrates (any form of white flour products)
• Sugar
• And any type of food that you are sensitive to can cause inflammation as well

We all know that the typical diet of an American contains some, if not most of these foods daily and most of the time it's at every meal!  

What should we be eating?? A whole foods and plant-based diet. Yeah, I said it! This diet has proven to reverse MS, diabetes (yeah, it can CURE diabetes, incurable disease my A$$), heart disease, it can stop the growth of some cancers and can help people lose weight among so many other things! (Ok, stepping down from the pulpit.) The point is, our bodies are overwhelmed with omega 6 fatty acids (which is present in most of the foods listed above) and it must be balanced out by omega 3's. 

Awesome, wonderful, powerful Omega 3's! 

Researchers and scientists have found that omega 3's help prevent a wide range of medical problems (remember that list of chronic inflammatory related diseases?) such as depression (feeling down, add omega 3's not prozac) , asthma, heart disease and arthritis.  Not only that but omega 3 fatty acids also improve our brain function.  Researchers have said that omega 3s can reduce the aging of the brain. How cool is that?? 

Having a good diet and one that is full of omega 3 fatty acids is the way to go! And it's soooo easy!!!!!  Cut out all the crap, trust me you are worth it! Have the majority of your meals come from whole foods, meaning nothing that is refined, whole grains, brown rice, quinoa, and eat a lot of plants! In addition, add in foods that contain a lot of omega 3's.  And wouldn't you know it, I have them right here for you!

There are different ways of getting omega 3 fatty acids but research has shown that it is better absorbed from food than by supplements. Two excellent sources are flax seeds and walnuts. The recommended serving size for flax seeds are at least 2 tablespoons.  The best way to do this is to buy whole raw flax seeds and grind them right before you eat them, a small coffee or spice grinder works great (buy one just for grinding the seeds, spices and herbs). You don't have to be old school like me using a mortar and pestle. The ground up flax seeds can be put in smoothies, sprinkled over salads or even cereal or anything. It's worth the effort. Two tablespoons of ground flax seeds will give you 132.9% daily value of omega 3's. 

A 1/4 cup of walnuts, which isn't that many when measured, is the recommended serving size, which will give you 94.5% of the daily value of omega 3's. That's an easy snack in the afternoon.  I always have walnuts at home and they're great to bring for a snack. Another great source is fatty fish (if you eat it) that live in cold waters, such as wild salmon and sardines. Do not fry the fish, fatty acids are destroyed during this process.  Bake, poach or pan sear instead. If you are all plant-based then go for the nut and seed variety.  

A healthy diet contains equal amounts of both 3 and 6 fatty acid. We can all benefit from getting our healthy fatty acids daily. Don't forget to eat your flax seeds and walnuts and cut back on the foods that contain omega 6. Yin Yang, find your balance.

To help the body to better assimilate the anti-inflammatory agents of omega 3's it's important that your diet has a sufficient amount of vitamin B6, B3, C, magnesium and zinc and decrease the intake of saturated fats and partially hydrogenated fats.  Check out this website for foods containing these vitamins and minerals. http://www.whfoods.com

To wrap up, it is easy to get Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Simply add 2 tablespoons of whole flax seeds and 1/4 cup of walnuts to your diet everyday. Prevention is not a word used by our current health care system. There are better, safer, cheaper, and healthier ways to get results. In a lot of cases, certain diseases can be prevented or treated using holistic treatments, changing your diet, reducing stress, and having a better outlook can do wonders for your health!  And of course, adding omega 3's daily into your diet!

Anti-inflammatory love to you all!

K