Tag: Healthy Living

Don’t Make Resolutions. Build Habits.

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

It’s January, which means one thing is certain — we’re trying desperately to stick to our ambitious, and often guilt-driven, new year’s resolutions. With the new year happening right after the holiday season, we more often than not make grand plans to lose weight, exercise more, and never sleepless than eight hours a night. However, these resolutions are usually a product of late-night holiday parties, big feasts, and a healthful serving of cookies. In fact, in 2017 nearly 50% of people said their new year’s resolution was to lose weight. Think about it though: If the new year happened after summer —when we’re more active and spend lots of time outdoors — do you think you’d make the same resolutions?

In addition to just the odd timing of resolutions happening after an indulgent holiday season, the elephant in the room is that people have a hard time sticking to their resolutions. One large survey found that 80% of resolutions don’t even stick until February, which signals there might be a flaw in the system, rather than in our intentions.

Why Resolutions Don’t Work

Often, our resolutions are really big, visionary goals. Think: lose 10 pounds, save $10,000, or get six-pack abs. These visions are really hard to turn into daily actions, and we end up being at a loss with how to realistically attain these big resolutions.

That’s why building habits might be the better way. Habits are rituals and behaviors that we automatically perform, which allow us to carry out essential activities that are vital to our lives, like showering, getting dressed, and even reading before bed. Now, imagine if packing your workout clothes for the gym was as simple and mindless as brushing your teeth at night!

Habits are more reliable than resolutions because while they take time to form, once you do create them, it’s harder to let it fall to the wayside. While establishing habits isn’t always the easiest, it’s definitely attainable. Here are some guidelines for how to develop healthy habits for the new year.

Your Step-by-Step Habit Forming Guide


1. Start with a small action that will start the domino effect of establishing your habit. For example, say you want to cook more meals versus eating out. A good action to start with is to write a grocery list on Sunday morning that is filled with fresh and healthy ingredients.


2. Pick an anchor behavior that will trigger this new action. For example, brushing your teeth can trigger you to floss. For this grocery list example, maybe you always write one on Sunday morning while drinking your first cup of coffee at the kitchen table.

3. Make sure this behavior is easy and even fun! If you like writing lists by hand, maybe buy yourself some fun paper and a pen for your grocery-list writing. If you’re more of a digital person,  search for and download an app on your phone. Consider bookmarking some of your favorite recipe blogs on your computer so you can enjoy time searching for delicious meals to make. Or invest in a few good cookbooks. This will inspire you to cook and eat healthier.

4. Stay consistent. Habits are easier to form if you do them in the same place around the same time. Don’t write your grocery list on the fly, in between a million other tasks. Take time and make this a ritual.

5. Give yourself a pat on the back. Even if you may think this habit is small, it’s helping you reach a bigger goal: eating healthier. So when we tell ourselves “good job!” we get a little shot of dopamine to the brain which triggers our reward system. This not only feels good, but gives us a better chance of continually replicating our action and truly turning it into a habit.

6. Repeat, repeat!  While the grocery list creation might only need to happen once a week, other habits can happen daily. If you want to get stronger, you could start a habit of doing 50 pushups in the morning before you eat breakfast. If you want to create this habit, do it in the same room in between your other morning tasks, whether that’s brushing your teeth, making coffee, or checking the news. The repetition helps make this habit become automatic.

By taking small steps and creating habits, you could see some big results. So instead of making huge resolutions, consider focusing on habits that you can stick to every day that will help you make lifestyle changes you can adhere to for life.

Superfoods for Preventing Colds

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

We hate to break it to you, but it’s officially fall, which means winter is right around the corner. And depending on where you live, the cold temps might already be in full swing. Cold weather often comes with cold and flu season, too, a sad side effect to the approaching holidays, snow-filled days, and opportunities to cozy up next to a fireplace.

Don’t let cold-season sideline you from the snuggly temps that are approaching! Luckily, certain foods can help stifle those sneezes, runny noses, and yucky flus we’re unfortunately vulnerable to catch as the seasons shift.

Here are nine foods that will help strengthen your immune system during the cooler weather months. They’re also quite delicious and versatile, so you shouldn’t have a problem fitting them onto your plates and into your diet.

Eat This, Not That

Soup

If you feel a cold coming on, soup is a great way to combat feeling crumby. In addition to it feeling comforting and warm, you can add so many different things to the pot that have immune-boosting qualities. Chicken noodle soup is a classic, and for good reason — chicken is filled with zinc and iron, and carrots are rich vitamin C. These are all nutrients your body needs to fight off toxins and germs. The broth also helps secrete mucus which protects the body against new germs coming in. An ultimate immune boosting soup includes ingredients that we’ll mention below, but we’ll tell you them now: kale, bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, turmeric, and garlic. Lastly, it goes without saying that soup simply helps soothe your body.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are often thought of as medicinal since they’re naturally grown and have a lot of amazing health benefits. In addition to keeping your immune system in check, they’re also amazing at boosting brain power, packing a punch of antioxidants into your body, and even helping with your hormones. There are a lot of different mushrooms out there. Skip the white button ones you often see in the grocery aisle and choose ones that are more “exotic” sounding that contain potent phytonutrients. These include mushrooms like shiitake, reishi, enoki, and maitake. You can add them to soup, stir fry’s, salads, or sautee them in olive oil and enjoy as a side dish!

Green tea

Green tea has a laundry list of health benefits, one of which is boosting our immunity. Tea is filled with polyphenols, which are plant antioxidants that help protect your body against colds and flus, and can even speed up the healing process if you’re already sick. One of the most powerful parts of green tea is a compound called EEGCG. Not only does it help speed up your metabolism, it also wards off infections. And here’s an amazing bonus: EGCGs have been shown to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. And just like soup, tea is warm and cozy to consume, and will make you feel good simply by sipping it.

Oranges

Vitamin C for the win! Vitamin C is important for cold prevention because it stimulates the function of your white blood cells that attack foreign bacteria and viruses that enter our bodies. In other words, Vitamin C helps reduce our chances of getting sick. Other citrus fruits, like grapefruit, lemons, and limes, are packed with vitamins as well. The best part is it doesn’t take much to get the vitamins you need; just one orange contains 120 percent of our recommended dietary intake. Slice up an orange and eat it on the go, add it to an Asian salad, or throw it in a smoothie! Just don’t only rely on orange juice as your source of Vitamin C; fruit juices contain a lot of sugar that your body doesn’t really need.

Honey

The sweet thing about honey is it can help soothe your throat and keep coughing at a minimum. Plus, the phytonutrients in raw honey are known for having antibacterial and anti-viral properties that can give your immune system a healthy boost and ward off colds and flus. Honey also provides a natural shot of energy, and its antioxidants can fight bad cholesterol and free radicals in the body. Add a spoonful to your morning oatmeal, use it as a sweetener in coffee or tea, or add some to a morning slice of toast!

Garlic

Garlic is filled with potent antioxidants that block germs and keep your body protected. This pungent-tasting bulb also has antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties that prevent sickness. The superstar is allicin, garlic’s key compound that has all those potent and germ-fighting properties. The best way to capture all of garlic’s health benefits is to eat it raw. While they might be too potent for most, you can try chopping it up and adding olive oil and salt for a raw garlic “dip.” Another option that’s a little easier to swallow is adding raw garlic to homemade guacamole or hummus. Of course, you can cook it too, adding sauteed garlic to nearly any savory dish for a burst of flavor while fighting off pesky germs.

Sweet potato

Similar to oranges and other citrus fruits, sweet potatoes have high amounts of vitamin C. That said, sweet potatoes also contain a large amount of  beta-carotene, which scientists say helps increase help increase “T cell activity,” which help fight infection. Lastly, Vitamin A is also found in sweet potatoes, which strengthen our mucus membranes found in the nose and throat. You can bake, roast, or pan fry potatoes. They’re also great in soups and on salads. And if you’re feeling really creative, use them as a base in a homemade veggie burger!

Ginger

Ginger is spicy, warming, and full of flavor. It also breaks down mucus in our bodies which helps clear the respiratory tract and feel less congested. Ginger also contains those well-known phytochemicals that fight off viruses and keep colds far away. You can make your own ginger tea with raw ginger or add it to virtually any stir-fry or soup. And if you have a sweet tooth, treat yo’self and make an immune-boosting sweet potato pie baked with ginger. Extra points if you use honey as your sweetener!

Yogurt

Last but not least: yogurt. Yogurt is filled with probiotics which is “good bacteria” your body needs to ward away bad bacteria in your body. That bad bacteria can easily make you sick by weakening your immune system. Just beware of yogurts that are filled with added sugars. The easiest thing you can do is buy unsweetened yogurt and add a touch of sweetness with immune-boosting honey.

Nobody likes getting sick. While sometimes it might feel inevitable, there are natural things you can do for your body that’ll help protect you from feeling crummy. In addition to your diet, also make sure to stay super hydrated, avoid processed foods, and get a good amount of sleep every night!

Managing Your Seasonal Depression

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

After what most of us wish was an endless Summer, the majority of the contiguous U.S. turn their clocks back an hour for daylight saving time. Despite the initial feeling of gaining an hour of sleep, the sun setting at 3 or 4 PM often brings feelings of seasonal depression. This blog will explain what seasonal depression is, the signs and effects it has, and how to combat it.

What is seasonal depression?

Seasonal affective disorder (informally referred to as seasonal depression) is a form of depression that’s impacted by the change in season. In most cases, seasonal affective disorder occurs in the Fall and Winter months but can also emerge in the Spring.

According to Mayo Clinic, some of the symptoms of seasonal depression include:

  • Feeling depressed throughout the day on most days
  • Having lost interest in hobbies or activities you previously enjoyed
  • Feeling low energy
  • Changes in your sleeping habits (oversleeping or insomnia)
  • Feeling easily agitated
  • Finding it difficult to concentrate
  • Changes in your appetite

While these symptoms may overlap with those of clinical depression, seasonal depression often starts and ends around the same time each year. In contrast, major depression doesn’t have a “clear” cut off for when symptoms will end. Those that seasonal depression impacts may be able to easily identify it if it occurs persistently.

Causes and sources

Typically, seasonal depression is understood to be caused by the change in season, weather and amount of sunlight. However, some scientists believe that hormones are at play here. As stated by Web MD, chemicals such as serotonin and melatonin are impacted by the change in seasons.

During the Summer, when sunlight occurs throughout the majority of the day, your serotonin levels are more or less regular. Serotonin is a chemical hormone produced by the brain and it helps to regulate your mood and emotions. 

Due to the decrease in sunlight throughout the Winter months, your brain may make and release less serotonin. As a result, symptoms of seasonal depression such as feeling down, depressed or fatigued.

Another hormone that may cause seasonal depression is melatonin. Similar to serotonin, melatonin is a chemical hormone produced by the brain in response to darkness/nighttime. Ultimately, it helps to regulate your circadian rhythms or body’s internal clock. 

In the darker Fall and Winter months, your body slows its production of both of these hormones. Since it becomes darker earlier in the day, your body’s melatonin is released way sooner than normal. If you find yourself feeling exhausted before the workday even ends, this is probably why.

Additionally, the lack of sunlight reduces your serotonin levels. When combining the lack of serotonin with the reduced levels of melatonin, your brain reacts by feeling depressive emotions or thoughts.

Ways to manage seasonal depression

Coping with seasonal depression can seem difficult at first glance. However, there are 3 simple things you can do during your daily routine to mitigate some of the side effects. These include staying active through movement/exercise, eating foods that boost serotonin levels, and exposing yourself to as much light as possible.

Since some of the common side effects include feeling fatigued, lethargic, and low-energy including movement throughout your day can combat these feelings. Now, this doesn’t mean you need to start training to run long-distance (although, it’s a great form of exercise). Movement and physical activity include exercise like yoga or simply getting your steps in throughout the work day.

Food & seasonal depression

Another way to soften the side effects of seasonal depression is to include serotonin in your diet. According to Medical News Today, there are a number of foods and ingredients that contain tryptophan, an amino acid that assist in the formation of serotonin. These foods include:

A third effective method to cope with seasonal affective disorder is to invest in light therapy. By using a light box with a white or blue light bulb, your brain is directed to produce more serotonin as it believes it’s day time. Light boxes help to mimic outdoor light or sunshine with hopes of combating the side effects of seasonal depression.

If you are unable to invest in a light box, simply finding ways to expose yourself to sunlight will help mitigate the side-effects. Try waking up earlier, taking a morning or afternoon walk, or sitting outside on sunny days.

Seasonal depression is extremely common and you’re not alone in feeling this way during the Fall and Winter months. By listening to your body and recognising the symptoms, you are one step closer to finding coping mechanisms that work for you. Whether that’s eating foods that boost your serotonin, staying active, or reaching out to your doctor about light therapy – it is definitely possible to manage your seasonal depression. 

Mental Health: It’s Time to Make It a Priority

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

Physical wellness is too often prioritised over mental health. While it is important to take care of your body, it is equally as important to focus on mental wellness too.

Making mental health a priority does not need to be complicated. You do not have to take an expensive vacation to relax or spend every single night meditating. This article will detail why it is important to take care of yourself mentally and list some everyday self-care routines.

Defining mental health

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), mental health “is a state of well-being… and is fundamental to our collective and individual ability.” 

In other terms, mental health allows us to “think, emote and interact with others.” Promoting mental health allows people to improve their psychological state.

Usually, mental health is colloquially termed “good” or “bad.” However, this adds to stigmas people face and cannot be used accurately to describe everyone’s experience. The impacts of psychological health differ greatly between all sorts of people.

Medical News Today explains “peak mental health is about looking after ongoing wellness and happiness.” When life becomes stressful or overwhelming, it can be hard to look out for our individual happiness and prioritise wellness.

When people experience mental illness, it can create a variety of complications. Additionally, these indicators manifest themselves in various ways depending on the individual.

The Mayo Clinic lists the below as some common symptoms that arise due to overlooking mental wellness:

  • Feeling sad or down
  • Confused thinking or reduced ability to concentrate
  • Excessive fears or worries, or extreme feelings of guilt
  • Extreme mood changes of highs and lows
  • Withdrawal from friends and activities
  • Significant tiredness, low energy or problems sleeping
  • Inability to cope with daily problems or stress
  • Major changes in eating habits
  • Excessive anger, hostility or violence
  • Suicidal thinking

Why is spreading awareness important?

Mental health awareness is often overlooked, so it is important to promote it whenever possible. Additionally, it is essential to let those know struggling with this that they are not alone.

Spreading vital information about psychological health allows for people to resist the stigmas that accompany it. 

Raising awareness about mental wellness can help people recognise the signs and when to seek help. Additionally, being aware of the signs allows individuals to be proactive in their mental healthcare.

A major part of mental health awareness is rejecting the stigmas. Too often, people struggling with mental health deal with shame and pressure of needing to prioritise their wellness.

The first step in taking care of yourself is by feeling supported by those around you. People should not have to feel ashamed of taking a mental health day.

Since mental health can impact people differently, the remedies will vary as well. Below are some simple ways you can practice self care and prioritise.

Taking care of yourself

The list of self-care practices is never ending. Here are a few simple things you can do to take care of your mental wellness.

  • Journalling: this is a great way to express your feelings, thoughts and reflect on your day
  • Hangout with family or friends
  • Spend the day outside, get some fresh air
  • Pinpoint reasons for your stress, think of ways to find balance
  • Experiment in the kitchen with new recipes
  • Take a mental health day off work: when your body is telling you to slow down, listen!
  • Seek out therapy or counselling: it’s more than okay to reach out when you need help
  • Spend the day doing things that make you happy: get back into your hobbies!
  • Meditate or practice yoga: mindfulness allows you to focus in on your intuition and can create a sense of relaxation

This list is not exhaustive. There are many other forms of self care and mental rejuvenation. Finding the activities and habits that best suit you is key.

Finding down time in your busy schedule is already difficult enough. However, it is important to remember to take time for yourself when you’re feeling burnt out. 

Listen to yourself and be aware of the signs. Your mental wellness should not be pushed to the wayside. 

 

A Quick Guide on Flexitarian Eating

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

So you’ve heard about veganism, the paleo diet and good old fashioned vegetarianism. As of late you may have seen the term “flexitarian” pop up more and more.

Other than being a new buzz word, what does flexitarian eating really mean?

What is it?

The flexitarian diet was coined by Registered Dietitian Dawn “DJ” Blatner. As listed on DJ’s website, the word flexitarian is made up of the words “flexible” and “vegetarian.”

Essentially, the idea of this diet is to allow people to minimize meat consumption as opposed to restricting it entirely.

A traditional vegetarian diet restricts the consumption of meat. For some vegetarians, cutting out animal-by products such as dairy or eggs is a part of the diet as well.

This can be somewhat confusing to those who are unfamiliar with the various differences between diets. As such, flexitarian is increasingly becoming a more popular way of eating.

Unlike some other diets, eating flexitarian doesn’t have a strict set of rules or guidelines. Being a flexitarian is more of a lifestyle than it is a diet. Those who choose to adopt this lifestyle are also choosing to not restrict certain foods.  This gives people more freedom with what they can eat.

In simple terms, flexitarians focus on eating a plant-forward or vegetarian diet most of the time. However, when a craving strikes or when someone simply feels like eating meat, they do just that.

The choice to be flexitarian is to not punish yourself when you want to eat meat. Instead, it promotes listening to your body and openly choosing to eat more vegetarian-focused meals on a daily basis.

DJ sums the above perfectly on her website: “the most important part of flexitarianism is not how many meatless days you have, but how many more vegetarian meals you prepare.”

Therefore, a flexitarian chooses to eat most of their meals like a vegetarian or plant-based eater but give themselves grace to consume meat when they want it.

Reasons for Eating Flexitarian

The reasons for living a flexitarian lifestyle differ from person to person. However, there are a few trends across the board.

For some, eating flexitarian is more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Meat consumption leads to greenhouse gas emissions which ultimately impacts climate change.

However, eating meat in moderation is absolutely safe to have as a part of your diet. As such, flexitarians give themselves room to consume meat here-and-there.

Other reasons to eat flexitarian include introducing more fiber or vitamins and minerals into your meals. Essentially, this diet focuses on consuming more plant-based, whole food ingredients such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

According to Registered Dietitian Alyssa Pike, “plant-based foods can help you get your daily dose of dietary fiber,” which is important as most people don’t meet the required amount of daily fiber.

Another potential reason or benefit is that it may decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease. Studies have cited this to be due to the increase in nutrients, antioxidant vitamins and better-for-you ingredients.

In addition to the reasons above, many of those that follow a flexitarian way of eating choose to do so to make a lifestyle change. Depending on your lifestyle goals, choosing to eat this way may come with its own personal list of reasons!

Things to Eat While Flexitarian

So, what does eating flexitarian actually look like?

There are in fact some major differences between what it means to eat vegetarian and flexitarian. For some, eating vegetarian involves eating everything but meat (and sometimes dairy/eggs).

While vegetarians might feel free to eat more pre-packaged or processed foods, the flexitarian diet actually cautions against it.

Specifically, flexitarians are encouraged to consume whole plant foods. This includes fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains. As such, this promotes eating a more whole foods diet as opposed to processed foods.

However, that doesn’t mean you are prohibited from eating pre-packaged meals when flexitarian! Our Cauliflower Kung Pao bowl is a great meal option when you are trying to focus on a more plant-focused diet.

To elevate and meal prep the noodle bowl, we focus on pairing it with plant-based ingredients such as edamame and tofu. Learn how to make our Cauliflower Kung Pao Meal Prep Bowls! They are a perfect fast and affordable meal prep idea for plant-based eaters.

While some diets and fads can be confusing, being flexitarian is not. If you are looking to ease your way into plant-based eating or simply want to become a semi-vegetarian, flexitarian eating may just be the lifestyle for you.

4 Ways to Keep Hydrated

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

As the weather is starting to heat up, it is no surprise that staying hydrated is becoming more top-of-mind. Hydrating your body is key in keeping it healthy and maintaining all of its systems and organs such as the heart and brain.

While it may seem obvious that hydrating is key during hot weather or when exercising outside, it can be difficult to stay hydrated. By setting reminders, holding yourself accountable, and being mindful of your consumption, meeting your hydration goals won’t seem as daunting.

Set reminders

If you find yourself forgetting to hydrate, setting small reminders can be very helpful. The easiest way to do this is by using the reminder application on your phone or computer. Another great place to set reminders is through your planner or by placing sticky notes around your desk. If your hydration goals include tracking your liquid intake, mobile applications are a great place to set reminders and keep track of your daily liquid intake.

Setting reminders can be extremely helpful if you find yourself spending most of your time in-doors. For example, if you work from home or spend a significant time inside, remembering to stay hydrated becomes increasingly more difficult.

Often times, if you are not sweating from a workout or being outdoors, you may not realise you’re thirsty. Therefore, it is not uncommon to consume below the recommended intake. According to Healthline, daily water intake recommendations differ depending on age and gender.

For adult men, a recommended daily intake is 131 liquid ounces while 95 liquid ounces is recommended for women. The amount is different for children.

Once you get acclimated to keeping up with your reminders, you will slowly be incorporating hydration into your daily routines! As a result, this will help you be more mindful in remembering to have water or another liquid during meals, after working out and anytime in between.

Keep track

If you are struggling to meet your personal water intake goal, physically keeping track may help. Tracking your intake on paper is a helpful place to start. However, that can easily slip our minds and we can forget to hold ourselves accountable.

By physically keeping track of your water intake, you can visualize how much you are consuming. A great way to physically track your consumption is by drinking from a cup or water bottle that is exactly the amount of fluid ounces you want to consume. For example, find a cup that holds your ounce goal and make a mental note to drink one cup an hour.

In addition, purchasing a water bottle with fluid ounce markers can be incredibly helpful. This allows you to numerically see how much you are drinking. By incorporating physical tracking into your daily consumption, you will then be able to mindfully meet your hydration goals throughout the day.

Be mindful

Another tip to meeting your hydration goals is to be and stay mindful. For example, if you know you are going to be out most of the day, make sure to bring a water bottle.

Bringing and keeping extra water bottles on hand make all of the difference when trying to stay hydrated. For example, if you will be spending the day at the park, beach, or even indoors at a museum, you may find that storing a few water bottles in the car can be extremely handy!

Being mindful of ways to keep hydrate doesn’t stop there. A great way to maintain your hydration levels is by intentionally choosing to hydrate. If you’re going out to a restaurant, intentionally choose a beverage that will keep you hydrate such as water, seltzer or tea.

That isn’t to say that you can’t have a fun drink alongside your meal such as a cocktail or soda! Keeping your hydration levels up doesn’t equal cutting things out from your diet. Instead, choose both and being intentional with the choices you make!

Don’t exclude the food!

Many fruits and vegetables can also be a way for you to keep hydrated! Whether you use cut up fruit to infuse your water, or snack on them raw, fresh produce can help you reach your hydration goals.

Healthline provides a thorough list of water-dense foods. Some of the foods on their list include:

  • Watermelon
  • Oranges
  • Peaches
  • Cucumbers
  • Lettuce
  • Broth-based soups
  • Fresh coconut & its water

While it is difficult to track the amount of water in each slice of watermelon or in a salad, it is important to incorporate these foods into your meals nonetheless. You can consume produce or foods high in water both in its raw or cooked form, and you will still be working toward keeping yourself hydrated!

If you are looking to focus in on meeting your hydration goals this summer, the above steps can help you get there. By setting reminders to keep track of your consumption, making mindful/intentional choices, and eating foods with high-water content, keeping hydrated will start to become a natural part of your routines.

4 Benefits of Green and Black Tea

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

Since their origination in China, green and black tea have been known to be some of the most beneficial beverages to drink. Both types are full of antioxidants and offer a number of health benefits.

The benefits and reasons for drinking do differ between the two types. So, what are some of these benefits of drinking green and black tea?

Benefit #1: Caffeine

Both green and black tea contain traces of caffeine. This is a benefit to you if you need a little pick-me-up and do not consume coffee or energy drinks.

According to Mayo Clinic, eight ounces of brewed black tea contains 47 milligrams of caffeine while the same amount of green contains 28 milligrams. If you are looking to benefit from the caffeine in tea, we recommend brewing a fresh cup of black tea.

Why is black tea stronger than green tea? Why are the caffeine levels higher? It’s all dependent on the production process, also known as oxidation.

Simply put, oxidation is a scientific process using oxygen. Black tea, is oxidized (left to react with oxygen) for longer, which turns the leaves into a dark color. Therefore, black tea has a stronger and deeper taste.

In contrast, green tea is not oxidized for a long time – the leaves are heated and dried before any oxygen can react with the leaves. This is why green tea has a lighter color and taste.

So, if you need a little boost of energy, black tea might just do the trick!

Benefit #2: Antioxidants

Both green and black tea contain many antioxidants. However, according to Healthline, green tea tends to have “stronger antioxidant properties.” What would the antioxidants in green tea do for you?

For starters, they prevent free radicals, which lead to the breaking down of cells in your body. Consequently, your body’s damaged cells make you prone to getting sick.

It is important to note that the formation of free radicals occurs naturally in the body. Therefore, drinking green tea does not rid of all free radicals. What it does is provide your body with antioxidants to decrease or prevent the impacts of free radicals.

Sources such as WebMD cite studies that show the antioxidants in tea have been proven to:

  • Decrease the chances of heart disease
  • Decrease the chances of stroke
  • Lower “bad” LDL cholesterol

If you are trying to add more antioxidants into your diet, brewing a fresh cup of green tea is a simple way to incorporate them!

Benefit #3: Improving digestion

Black tea has been found to aid in supporting digestion and promoting gut health. Due to the probiotics in black tea (there are some in green tea too), the beverage assists in balancing out your microbiome.

As explained by Susanne Henning, PhD on Well and Good, “black teas are prebiotics, substances that induce the growth of good microorganisms that contribute to a person’s well-being.”

Some ways you can incorporate black tea into your diet include fresh brew (both hot and cold) and kombucha. The best way to reap the benefit of black tea is by consuming it in its natural form and without a lot of added sugar.

Benefit #4: Great for skincare

Both black and green tea are often used in skincare products. You can often find them in face masks, eye patches and lotion.

For example, StyleCraze lists black tea as beneficial to decrease puffiness. They recommend placing cotton pads soaked in black tea under your eyes to reduce under-eye inflammation.

Similarly, green tea is very soothing for your skin, especially when it comes to combating acne. Due to the antioxidants and antimicrobial characteristics of green tea, it helps to reduce oil from your skin.

The most popular ways to implement green tea into your skincare is often through products that contain green tea extract. These can include face washes/scrubs, face masks or topical serums.

Whether you decide to consume it daily or implement it into your skincare routine weekly, green and black tea come with many benefits.

Either way, these natural brewed beverages are a great way to boost your antioxidant intake and improve digestion.

What is Intuitive Eating?

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

Intuitive eating (IE) is a philosophy or practice that is drive by an individual’s body and personal eating habits. Even if you are unfamiliar with the term, you may be practicing IE unconsciously. Unlike labeled diets and fads, intuitive eating does not include following certain restrictions. This practice allows individuals full freedom over their eating choices. Here is our breakdown of what IE is and how to fit it into your lifestyle.

The basics of intuitive eating

At its core, IE promotes eating when you are hungry and listening to your body when it is full. This can be easier for some and not others. Unlike diets, intuitive eating does not provide guidelines for how, when and what to eat. For example, on the paleo diet you are unable to eat products that include dairy, sugar, grains and even legumes. In contrast, adopting an intuitive eating perspective allows all foods to fit for all sorts of people.

The difficulty behind this is that you are the sole decider of what to consume. This means trusting your body and hunger signs completely. As a result, someone who follows IE has the freedom to choose what and when to eat. To achieve this, listening to your body is key.

For starters, you have to identify and listen to your body’s hunger signs. The signs are not universal amongst everyone but can include (and are not limited to):

  • Feeling of an empty stomach
  • Growling or grumbling from stomach
  • Feeling light-headed, dizzy or fatigued
  • Physical weakness
  • Feeling agitated, grumpy, irritable

Secondly, IE allows someone to honor their cravings. Is your body telling you to eat more veggies? Are you hungry for a high-protein meal? The beauty of IE is that nothing is off limits. You have complete control over what to fuel your body with. Again, this is easier said than done for some people. Intuitive eating is by no mean easy to adopt but there are small steps that can lead you in the right direction.

How to eat intuitively

There are a few tips and tricks to begin your intuitive eating journey. There are some standard or basic tips but you will also find there are practices that will work for you personally.

Here are some standard tricks:

  1. Find peace with yourself and your relationship to food.

The hardest but most important step to an IE journey is finding peace and acceptance within yourself and how to see food. One way to do this is to reject fads and diets that shame people into conforming to certain body standards. Breaking away from the cycle of comparison and forming habits of self-love is a step in the right direction. Hopefully, this promotes a healthy and guilt-free relationship with food. After all, food is how we fuel ourselves!

  1. Understand the differences between emotional hunger and physical hunger.

These two different types of hunger are exactly as they sound. Emotional eating involves eating based off of your emotional state: boredom, stress, sadness, anger. At times like this, you are not necessarily eating based off of your physical hunger. Instead, you are turning to food based off of your emotional state. This can be an exceptionally difficult practice to break and requires you to listen actively to your body.

  1. Start with what you’re comfortable with.

If you want to adopt the practices of IE but struggle with certain foods, that is okay! We recommend starting from a place you are most comfortable. If you feel comfortable eating a specific food but not another, don’t push yourself too fast or too far.

By eating what your body wants and what you are comfortable with, you will begin to find an open and honest relationship with food. As a result, you can begin to work on eating and enjoying foods you once struggled with. The beauty of intuitive eating is that you can start where you are most comfortable and grow from there. IE allows all foods to fit and denounces restrictions – it’s all about tuning into what you and your body need.

Why IE?

Intuitive eating is a great place to start when you are ready to mend your relationship with food. If you have or are struggling with food freedom, IE gives you the space to find what works best for you. By rejecting diet culture, you are opening yourself up to food freedom and non-restricted ways of eating. Adopting intuitive eating practices will open possibilities of feeling comfortable with food! The opportunities are endless when eating intuitively.

Honoring Your Body Without Giving Into Diet Culture

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

With a new year fresh upon us, it is no secret that articles about dieting, working out and creating a “new you” are circulating all over the Internet. Sometimes, it is difficult to avoid these articles and you can fall into a slump. Articles that focus on dieting, overworking and transforming yourself can often lead to negative feelings of self-comparison and self-worth. Adopting healthy habits can make you feel good but that doesn’t mean you need to give into diet culture. In fact, honoring your body can be accomplished in a number of ways without giving into diet culture!

First, let’s define diet culture. According to Ragen Chastain from the National Eating Disorder Association, diet culture includes “weight stigma [that] is so firmly entrenched in our culture.” This can include implementing “food rules and restriction to manipulate body size” or suggesting “people are more or less worthy based on their body size.” Diet culture is toxic and should not, by any means, be promoted during a new year or otherwise.

Some of our favourite ways to honor our bodies without giving into diet culture are listening to hunger signs, working out at our own pace, taking time for ourselves and focusing on our mental health.

Honoring your body by listening to your hunger signs

Hunger signs – we all get them, have them and should know how to recognize them. As explained by Monica Smith from Michigan State University Extension, some physical hunger cutes include an “empty stomach, stomach growling, headache, light-headed feeling, grumpiness, lack of energy and shakiness or weakness.”

When you don’t listen to your body’s hunger signs, you risk feelings of distraction, stress and irritability. As diet culture promotes ignoring these hunger signs, it is important to adopt habits that honor them instead. By doing so, you can honor your body through food and nourishment.

One way this can be done is by equating your hunger signals with cooking/eating something delicious! Some of our favourite meals include yummy ingredients and easy recipes like these Chicken Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.

Listening to your hunger cues also includes cooking what you’re craving. Honoring your body also means honoring your cravings! To ensure you’re getting in those vitamins and nutrients, learning to build a balanced plate is a skill that will help you enjoy your meals while feeling good. Don’t worry – there are many ways to build a balanced plate and can work for your lifestyle and preferences!

Working out at your own pace

Speaking about lifestyle, it is no secret that working out can definitely be a part of your lifestyle. You may be familiar with the new year’s joke about the gyms being crowded due to new year’s resolutions. Whether you are returning to the gym or joining a new one, getting exercise into your day is a great way to honor your body without giving into diet culture.

There are many different ways to get moving, which allows you to modify your exercise to best fit you! It can be overwhelming to see other people at the gym working out at a different pace or level than you. However, it is also harmful to intensity your workouts if your body is not ready. Comparing your workouts to others’ can be extremely detrimental.

Listen to your body and exercise at your own pace! Physical results are not linear and don’t look the same for everyone. Going at your own pace and listening to your body’s limits is very important when working out. By mixing healthy eating habits with safe exercise routines, you are one step closer to honoring your body without giving into diet culture.

Take time for yourself

Burn-out is real and can have serious mental and physical effects. The World Health Organization defines burn-out as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” The WHO outline three symptoms of burn-out:

  • feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
  • increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and
  • reduced professional efficacy

Some physical symptoms include headaches, stomachaches, exhaustion and, muscle pain and fatigue. As such, taking a break from work or stepping away from the office is a must when you are facing severe impacts from burn-out.

Taking time for yourself can take many shapes and forms. Whether that be working from home for a change of scenery, taking a few days off completely or getting moving and away from your desk during the day – focus on yourself.

Honoring your body means focusing on mental health

That being said, it is just as important to pay attention to your body both physically and mentally. Further, physically working on your body should be treated as important as working on yourself mentally. For example, sometimes you just need to step away and do something you enjoy. Some ways we like to take a break include reading, spending time with family, watching our favourite show or meditation.

Don’t forget that being a student can take a toll on your physical and mental health, too. Whether you’re a student, parent or employee, it is critical to know when you need to take a break. Focusing on enjoying yourself, decreasing stress and overall unwinding will keep you feeling great while completely honoring your body without giving into diet culture!

Dieting and promoting diet culture is in no way the only method to adopt healthy habits. In fact, there are endless amount of ways to honor your body without giving into diet culture. By focusing on physical activity at your own pace, feeding your body and focusing on your mental health, you are sure to find ways of honoring yourself that fit your lifestyle.

Bring on the Bacteria

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

With the rise in digestive woes and diagnosed digestive disorders, scientists, doctors, and the general public are learning to get more comfortable talking about all things gut related. One of the biggest and buzziest topics regarding gut health these past few years has been probiotics. It seems that this food trend is here to stay. So, let’s take a look into exactly what probiotics are, if they could be of benefit to you, and how you can start to incorporate them into your diet.

Bring on the bacteria!

First off, it’s important to understand that we all have trillions of bacteria currently residing in our bodies. Most bacteria are living in our large intestines. With today’s trend of recommending everything from our food to our hygiene practices being “clean” you might assume that this gut-bacteria is something we should be wiping out too- not so! These intestinal bacteria help digest our food, produce beneficial byproducts, and protect us against harmful bacteria. We want to keep these good buggies around. Sometimes, due to infection, sickness, travel, stress, or heavy antibiotic use, the scales can tip towards an unhealthy balance of bacteria. This, my friends, is why probiotics are so important.

 

What are probiotics?

Probiotics are live microorganisms which, when ingested, extend health benefits to the host. These microorganisms are usually live bacteria, but some can be yeasts or molds. In non-science-y speak: probiotics are “good” bacteria that if you consume them may benefit your health, yippee!

Currently, one of the most studied areas of benefit is probiotics’ ability to reestablish a healthy gut, such as one that may be suffering from chronic diarrhea, slow gut transit, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), abdominal pain, bloating, or ulcerative colitis. This makes sense because if one of these above digestive tract woes is being caused by a harmful pathogen or compromised digestive tract lining, we would want to introduce beneficial probiotics to help chase out the bad bacteria, reduce inflammation, and produce more beneficial by-products to alleviate the uncomfortable GI symptoms.

Probiotics are also being studied, and recommended in some cases, to be used as an immune-system support for allergies, and for benefits to the reproductive tract, oral cavity, lungs, skin, gut-brain axis, and glucose metabolism.

Going through this list of ailments may have you thinking, “well shoot, maybe I should be taking a probiotics pill, I’ve got issues in at least one of these areas!” But before you go out and pick up any old bottle of capsules from your drug store, it’s important to understand that there are numerous strains of bacteria and not all of them are shown to necessarily be helpful for every issue. Before a stop at the pharmacy, I recommend a stop at the grocery.

 

What foods contain probiotics?

I first recommend consuming probiotics through food sources, and the important thing you’ll want to look for is that a product says it contains “live active cultures” on the label. By ingesting the live bacteria they have a better chance of reaching the areas of your gut that need them the most. Some of the common sources of probiotics are fermented foods such as:

  • Yogurt
  • Kefir
  • Kimchi
  • Sauerkraut
  • Tempeh
  • Miso
  • Kombucha

Other food sources of good bacteria, but not living cultures, are sourdough bread, beer, wine, chocolate, and soy sauce. Probiotic supplements are certainly a popular area of interest these days, but again their efficacy and specificity lead me to recommend choosing probiotic foods over capsules at this point unless guided by a dietitian or doctor.

 

A note on prebiotics

Less commonly known, but I feel just as deserving as all the hype, are prebiotics. You can think of prebiotics as the “food” for the good gut bacteria that will go on to benefit the person who consumes them. Prebiotics can help to selectively balance the health-promoting vs. disease-promoting pathogens, and they work especially well in the large intestine. Much like probiotics, once prebiotic foods are fermented in the gut they can help improve IBS symptoms and diarrhea duration. Prebiotics are most commonly found in non-digestible food sources or foods that contain high levels of resistant starch (meaning the starch is not fully broken down into glucose) such as:

  • Dried beans and legumes
  • Garlic
  • Asparagus
  • Onions
  • Leeks
  • Artichokes
  • Green bananas
  • Sunchokes
  • And somewhat in wheat, bananas, yams, and sweet potatoes

 

Practical tips to boost your intake

Regardless of if you currently suffer from digestive or immune system woes or not, it’s a great idea to build up you intestinal defenses by including probiotic and prebiotic-rich foods in your diet on the regular. If you’re struggling for ideas on how to incorporate some of these funkier foods, here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Add spoonfuls of kimchi or sauerkraut onto salads and grain bowls
  • Make a marinade or salad dressing with miso
  • Spoon of yogurt on a GFMS Chipotle Poblano Breakfast Bowl
  • Stir kefir into the GFMS Oatmeal Bowl
  • Toss chopped asparagus into the GFMS Cavatappi Bolognese

 

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Article compliments of Casey Seiden MS, RD, CDN, CDE