Making time for youself

One of the most important things we need to do in order to live a healthy lifestyle is make time for ourselves. Even if it is fifteen minutes, everyone needs to be able to decompress. I think is most difficult for women to do because as women we tend to put a little too much on our daily plate. When things are left undone stress occurs and stress can lead to poor eating habits and poor eating habits can leave you feeling a lack of energy to get through the day.

So my advice is to make a little 'you' time everyday, even if it is a cup of coffee and some quiet time. Allow yourself to decompress and rejuvenate in order to keep on going. Always allow yourself a healthy diet with all of the food groups present and never forget your water!

Here's to your health,

Nico

Benefits of Yoga

So I have been doing my own personal version of yoga for a little over a year now, due to the fact that I was unable to pay for classes or memberships. This last Friday I went to my first yoga class, a friend of mine brought me as her guest. It was amazing! It was an hour long and there were people of all ages and sizes, doing poses that I think are a bit crazy. I was definitely pushed to my limits during this hour and was pleasantly surprised how I felt at the end, which was amazing! I have taken the things I learned from this class and have been incorporating some of the technique in my own home. I will however start to make time and money to do at least one class per week, at least until I can learn enough to create my own program. I personally prefer working out and doing yoga in the privacy of my own home.

I think the main benefit of yoga is relieving stress and relieving stress can assist in overall body health, making things run a little smoother. Not to mention the fact that it helps build core muscles and when the core muscles are stronger, they can take on more and create a more stable back. In that note, people with back problems should give yoga a try, they may see there back pain go away!

I am a huge advocate for yoga and think it is good for all ages and sizes of people. The stress relief alone should make it more appealing for people to give it a go. Even if people just try a little stretching and some deep breathing, that's all there is to it!

Here's to your health,

Nico

Thoughts of cleansing--mind and body

A friend of mine recently went through a month long cleanse, involving eating only raw. It got me thinking about how good or bad this can be for different body types.

She has explained to me that it has improved her sleep and her energy level and on minimal levels has it effected her negatively. Prior to the cleanse she was a vegan, so going from that to raw was not a complete difference.

My questions with this stem towards people who are not already vegans or vegetarians for that matter. I wonder if it can negatively affect someone who has meat and dairy in their diet. Can someone get really ill from something so drastic or can the cleanse be beneficial to anyone?

I think taking steps into cleansing would be best. Gradually taking 'bad' things out of the daily diet. For example, an easy cleanse would be to eliminate alcohol and sodas, some added sugars and meats. Start cleansing on a week by week basis and if you can handle a month of a mild cleanse maybe getting into a more intense cleanse would be something to do. I think it is very important to research any cleanse, especially an intense one.

I myself have just started my own cleanse, I am starting by eliminating alcohol and soda. I do not drink much soda as it is but I do usually have at least one alcoholic beverage a day, mainly wine. Like I said before, since I am not already a vegan or vegetarian I am going to proceed with caution and take it slow. Week by week I will slowly add more elements to the cleanse, charting the differences I see and feel.

Along with cleansing I will be adding more yoga to my weekly routine and chart the differences there too.

Here's to health,

Nico

Why aren't healthy foods advertised like junk foods

Why don't we advertise water like we do soda or fruits and vegetables like snack food?

Flipping through the television channels or pages of a magazine you see several ads for Coca-cola or pepsi and oreos or chips a hoy and McDonald's or Burger King. Why don't we see ads for water or juice and carrots or broccoli and bananas and oranges. What ever happen to the thought of an apple a day keeps the doctor away?

There needs to be a creative way to get the healthy word out to the masses. Some people will say they don't want to deprive themselves on good food. Well guess what, if you are eating all the crap out there you are depriving yourself on good food, you just may not know what good food is. People need to be educated on how to make "good for you" food, good. Once they see just how good it can taste it will only be a matter of time before they are hooked!

Nico

Some insight on high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners

People have been misinformed about the dangers of high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners, myself included. I decided to do a little research on the matter. I went to the Mayo Clinic website to get some answers that I knew I could trust.

Basically, high fructose corn syrup is just another form of sugar that is nearly identical to sugar, having a little more fructose which allows items to have a longer shelf life. Some people claim it is the cause of obesity when actually the cause of obesity is the fact that people are uneducated on nutrition. Also, the fact that we 'super size' things, super sizing should be outlawed. We need to educate people on moderation!

As for artificial sweeteners, people have been told that it is causing cancer. When actually, there is no scientific evidence that any artificial sweeteners that are approved in the United States have cancer causing elements. Artificial sweeteners just give the sweetness with minimal calories.

So to reiterate, we need to understand moderation. Don't live off soda, regular or diet, incorporate water into your daily routine, say no to super size, don't indulge everyday--make it a treat for yourself on occasion, if you need a snack.....grab some actual fruit instead of the bag of skittles, if you need a salty snack nuts are a great source!

To close it up, we need to re-train our brains and start eating better and realize that healthy foods can taste good too!

A little thought.......for every soda you drink have 2 waters.

Here's to your health,

Nico

Missing my fruits and vegetables

Hello,

Do you ever wish fruits and vegetables could be more affordable? I know I do. However, I know that the farmers need the money in order to buy their supplies but it would be nice if the supplies were more affordable for them too!

This makes me want to try my hand with a green thumb. I am vowing to myself that I will start and learn how to care for my own garden this spring. Who knows, if I am successful maybe I will try growing my vegetables and herbs indoors during the winter season, which is when the price skyrockets in the grocery stores.

I think if I had ample amounts of fruits and vegetables available to me I would eat them all day, everyday. I think that my mood is better when I fill myself with fruits and veggies over sweets and crap food. Maybe that is part of why I am so much more active in the spring and summer because they are more affordable.

Maybe we need to figure out how to grow indoors here in Minnesota so we don't have to pay for the shipping of our fruits and vegetables! But I guess I will try myself first, it's easier to get one person on board over a whole state!

Maybe next winter my winter blues will be more colorful!

Here's to fruits and veggies,

Nico

Holiday + weather weight gain

Hello,

So the holidays are officially over! I decipher this by realizing that this week will be the first 5 day work week without hopes of any short work weeks ahead!

Now I stare at my left over cookies and treats and wish for them to disappear but I do not have the heart to toss them in the trash. I try and tell myself that I am not hungry for those treats but continue to find myself reaching for them. I wonder if it is harder to shed the holiday pounds when you live somewhere where it is cold before, during, and after the holidays. Here in Minnesota some may feel they have to add on pounds for the winter season just to survive the frigid temperatures. My question for anyone out there would be this; is it just as hard to stay away from holiday treats and meals when you live in a warmer climate?

I know for myself that in the spring and summer it is easier for me to eat better and lighter and I definitely get more exercise. I wonder if I put myself in warmer climate all year long if it would be easier to stay fit and healthy. If only I could move all my friends and family!

Maybe 2010 will bring new developments in adapting to cold weather and eating habits. Now that I am in school and studying to become a nutritionist I think I should start researching ways to cope with the winter blues and find ways to distract me from reaching for those extra holiday treats! So anyone out there reading this, feel free to drop a line of advice if you have it!

Happy New Year,

Nico