Eating for a Purpose

We all know we eat to live.  Clearly it is what you have to do to function.  Our bodies are so amazing. Stop and think about how much it takes and still keeps going.  Stress, poor eating with almost no actual nutrition, lack of sleep, minimal exercise. Now, I know that is not the case with my readers, because you all are amazing.  I am sure you have a co worker or a friend who is the above.  ;) 

In all honestly though, our human body is so powerful it goes years and years not getting what it needs before it shows us signs that things have to change.  Partly from our lack of knowledge about real positive food, but also because we allow everything else to take priority other than ourselves.  

This is where eating for a purpose comes in.   It is as simple as saying this to yourself when you eat, "What purpose does this food right now serve me"  Simple right, before it is in your mouth think, is this positive food full of nutrients that my body will use, or is this pure pleasure (protein, carbs, fat, sugar).  The beauty comes when you can say this is both pleasurable and nutrient dense.   Trust me, you will get there. I live it daily.

You know about protein, carbs, and fat. We get those in large quantities daily. They are called our macro nutrients.  When you join a gym, or weight loss program, those are what they restrict for you.   High protein, lower carbs, low fat.   It is typically what you will go back to when the weight comes back on.    BUT, what about the other side of the equation?  MICRO nutrients are your best friend.  Get in bed with those babies, cause that is your key.  Look back on your daily meals, how many of your meals were full of vitamins and minerals, not just protein carbs and fat? As you prep and plan so you eat well, how much of your planning is around micro nutrients and not just the macro.    Are you eating for a positive purpose? 

1. Start with evaluation. Don't track food for calories, track food for nutrition.  

2. Review how many vitamins and minerals you are getting in your daily meals.  How many leafy greens, how many of the things you are eating actually can give your body the fuel it needs to thrive and also heal. 

3. Once you review how can you add more in, not in supplement form but in real food form.  Leafy greens, spirulina, chorella, quality fats like avocado and coconut oil.  

You will still have pleasurable foods that fall into the "minimal nutrients" category but they should not be the bulk of your eating.  They are the times you go to a party or celebrate a holiday.  Pleasurable foods with a positive memory attached.  

I left below some of my ways I get micros in when I am not able to sit down and have a meal.   I hope these help those of you on the go like me.  

A few of my favorite things

I am on the go a lot. I have my business, raise and school my babies and also practice regular self care. I like food that is functional and also satisfies me.

What do I mean by functional?  Food that does more than provide just protein carbs and fat, but also gives my body nutrients, superfoods and herbs.  I also like to know that if I pop in anywhere almost, when I forgot to plan, I have an option.  

So lets get started,

1. Addictive Wellness Chocolate:  I met Sage and Ana Blanca at the Longevity Conference put on each year by David Wolfe.  They created a sugar free chocolate with amazing herbs and superfoods. One circle chocolate is potent enough to give you a dose of what you need based on the chocolate you are eating.  There is love and magic in these chocolates, I know :) 

2. Cultured Veggies & Sauerkraut: I love taking some Brads Raw Chips and some ferments and having my lunch or snack with them together. Fermented Veggies are wonderful for your digestion and are a great probiotic source. Now I will mention they do have an off setting odor to many, but the taste and benefits are so amazing, I don't worry about the odor. 

This is a local company I just found in our Whole Foods.  I really really enjoy Harvest Roots Ferments. 

3. Kind Bars:  There is really no bar that is perfect. If they are raw they have dates and tons of sugar. If they aren't they still have tons of sugar.   Kind bars aren't perfect but they are almost everywhere.  I would rather sub the sugar for fat, and I am able to do that with there low sugar options.   Next time you have to stop while traveling and get a snack, look for Kind, there is a likelihood you will find it. 

4. Spring Water in glass: If you follow me on social media you will know weekly the kids and I go to a local spring by our house.  We add water to our yeti's and also to a 5 gallon jug. We exclusively drink it and love it.  If I am out of my morning fill up and I am in whole foods I usually grab Starkey's. If you have not drank fresh spring water, there is nothing like it. 

 I hope you can pick up or order one of the above to make your life easier and have a pleasurable sweet treat.  

You have anything you want me to try?  

Ep:9 with iRussi (Julia Ross), discussing Celiac

In my experience many if not everyone should get off gluten if not just for a short time. Wheat has changed over the years, crappy gluten protein is used as fillers in so many things and it has become an allergy for many.   I do not advocate if you are going gluten free to use tons of gluten free boxed goods. Stick with real food and if desire gluten free grains.  

Julia is someone I have known for a long time now and has had to navigate a busy, on the go life with a gluten allergy that is life threatening.   Celiac disease.  Cross contamination can lead to an instant headache. Having gluten in a sauce will make her sick.   We talk about this and her discovery of it in Ep 9. Thank you so much Julia, you are a bright light for sure! 

Ep.7 Sheila Wysocki interview

So grateful for this life Im living.  I get to meet amazing people and learn and grow from them. I have known Sheila for over 5 years. She is very dear to me, and agreed to be my first interview.  She has mega cred and is helping many lives.  Sheila is a private investigator and helps families who have lost hope when their case goes cold.  Shes tough, loving, a mother, and a major hustler.  Enjoy this interview and my authentic and candid talk with her :).

Find out more about Sheila here:  

Dateline Episode

Website:   ,  Washington Post Article

Peoples Magazine

Ep. 6 Skinny Doesn't Mean Healthy

Hello All,

   Its my hopes in this episode that you are patient with yourself as you get to your ideal weight and work on health more than skinny. 

Ep. 5 Honoring your body during a time of loss

Taking care of your WHOLE body is a tough. Food, emotions, career, relationships, all play into who we are and how are body deals with dis-ease.  This all becomes harder when we experience a loss/death. I hope with this rambling you can take away a couple things to help you during that unfortunate time.  

Ep 1. Is overcoming your fear your fear?

Let me know your thoughts.  

Milestones

If you have children, you understand milestones. Sometimes to much judging what they are doing daily by their age to see if they are on track.  All of us mothers/fathers know that in time a well loved baby/child/teen/adult will reach their milestones on their own time as they learn. 

Recently, as it relates to my business I have had a few milestones that have caused me to reflect on my business as a whole. I am grateful for this reflection. It has allowed me to see how far I have come and to continue striving, although there might be set backs along the way.  

One came in the form of my friend Amber that gives me facials.  She is so loving and listens so well. We were talking about my career and she said she thinks of me often and remembers me saying I want to be so successful I can bathe in goji berries. Now, if you follow me you know gojis are my favorite superfood.  The reason why they are so dear outside of them being amazing nutritiously, they are a milestone reminder.

When I started changing my lifestyle to organic and conventional free in all aspects, (13 years ago) I remember looking at all the superfoods and lifestyle modalities thinking, how will I every be able to afford those.   Colonics, superfoods, sauna, best water ever, Whole Foods. As I sit today all of those are a part of my daily life.  I own a sauna, I give and receive colonics, I have a cabinet full of superfood and super herbs, (3 pounds of goji's a month), and the kids and I eat at Whole Foods regularly.  It has happened and evolved over time, following my passion, giving to others and choosing a life that is authentic for my family and I. 

Another milestone happened last Thursday at a class I taught.  Now, I get to meet and work with some pretty epic people.  People that others would just dream of shaking their hand, i am in their home or they are in my office. I totally get that, and I am grateful for it. I value each client with gratitude whether they are a celebrity or not. Now does this mean I feel "special" or what have you. Nah, I am doing something I love and at the end of the day I want to come home to my kids and have them be proud of me.  I do forget that what I am doing is touching and changing lives, even if it is someone leaving a class and buying some spirulina.  

Now back to the class. I wasn't sure of the attendance or how the night would be. Classes are a night for me to talk talk talk, hang out with epic people, and this talk was at Sunflower Cafe, so I know I would have an amazing meal.  When I arrived there was already people waiting for me.  Then more showed up, and more. It was a fairly packed class for the location.  

One sweet couple was there and had mentioned they just moved to town and her sister who lived in another state follows me on instagram and told her to come. And if I didn't' mind to take a picture with me.  Heart explode!   Me, you want a pic with me??  WOW!  Milestone.   It had been a rough day that handled me some disappointments and this was just the remedy I needed. It was a reminder what I was doing was working and to keep following that path. 

Take inventory, count your blessing and stay grateful  milestones are always happening, as they should and on the time they should.  Its really not up to us right?   :) 

Grateful,