The afternoon munchies. They’re common, and brutal. That 3, or 4, or 5:00 snack attack when the shout of our cravings drowns out our smarter voice of reason. So… what defense do we have against our own afternoon insanity?

Our dragons are as unique as we are. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. But here are a few options to try on for size….

1) DROWN IT OUT. Start with a generous glass of water (with fruit or mint leaves floating in it for flavor if it will make it more appealing), or an herbal tea. Most of the physical component of afternoon “hunger” is usually dehydration.

2) BLOW IT AWAY. Inhale for a count of 5, Hold the breathe for a count of 5, Exhale for a count of 7. Repeat 10 times. This is a handy stress-buster for anytime. Basically, when your body thinks it’s stressed, breathing like a relaxed person can go a long way to de-escalate the body’s stress response.

3) FILL THE VOID. Afternoons can leave us feeling empty. There’s a lot more to us that needs to be nourished than just our stomachs. The day is nearly over, and we didn’t accomplish what we set out to do today, leaving us needing a sense of accomplishment. A relationship soured and we are left feeling unappreciated. We were ignored in that meeting and are unable to express ourselves. There’s no room for creativity in today’s task list. Perhaps we took no time today to connect with that which is greater and brings meaning to life. Checking in with ourselves to see where we are most empty can lead us to sources of nourishment that can fill our true needs more effectively than chips or cookies.

4. EAT WELL. If the tummy is still demanding, ask yourself what nutrients you haven’t ingested today, and pick your snack from those. Low on vitamins? Grab a quick salad, or at least carrot sticks, celery, or other veggies. Not enougb healthy fats? How about an avocado? Minerals and fats lacking? A handful of nuts can help. Protein deficient? Try a tuna pack, or an egg.

Not sure what you need? Try a green protein smoothie – it should cover most bases, and leave you satisfied. Just keep it small – dinner is coming!

Preparing in advance by having some healthy options in a desk drawer or the fridge, ready to grab in a pinch, can go a long way toward warding off the cookie monster within.

And lastly …

5) Think about something else for 5 minutes. Daydream about that next vacation. Start planning a new project. Remember a favorite experience. Most cravings last less than 4 minutes, so chances are that after 5 minutes, you will forget the craving and before you know it, dinnertime will come.

If one if more of these ideas works for you, let me know ! And… ritualize it. Having an afternoon ‘teatime’ routine can train your body to crave solutions that promote health rather than destroying it.

#health #cravings

I am strongly in favor of retraining taste-buds to eliminate sweet cravings entirely, which is very do-able when we focus on food as nutrients, going on a treasure hunt for all that our bodies actually want to operate at their best. However, some friends, family members, and co-workers might not be enthralled with this step away from the SAD diet our society is accustomed to. It is possible, though, to maintain a healthy eating plan while also offering ‘treats’ to friends and family. Who knows, they might even enjoy the surprise flavors enough to become curious about how they can achieve optimal health! For starters, why not try this almond-flour, vanilla spinach cake. Non-healthy eaters who tried it have commented that it reminded them of zucchini cake (they didn’t know it was healthier than that until it was too late to take back their compliments!)

Almond Flour Vanilla Spinach Cake Recipe:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
grease (I use spray avocado oil) 1 9″ round or 2 6″ round pans.

Mix together:
5 pasture-raised, organic (yes, it does make a difference in health value) eggs
1 cup natural, non-sugar sweetener
I used:
1/3 cup Erithritol
1/3 cup allulose
1/3 cup monkfruit sweetener
3 TBSP pecan or walnut oil
1 cup FINELY chopped spinach (stems removed first)

Add:
2 cups almond flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1 1/2 TBSP Arrowroot “flour” / starch
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract

Stir to blend.

Pour batter into prepared pan(s).

Bake approx. 30 minutes (slightly less for 6″ pans, slightly more for 1 9″ pan), until center feels mostly-firm to light touch.

Remove from oven and cool at least 10 minutes before turning cakes out from pans.

Allow to cool before frosting.

Frosting (optional – I prefer it without, but its prettier frosted):

3/4 cup coconut oil (to make blending easier, soften or melt
coconut oil first, mix in other ingredients, then wait for mixture to return
to room temperature before blending again and whipping to desired
consistency)
1/2 cup monkfruit sweetener
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
Optional – 2 TBSP Pure Egg White Protein Powder (make frosting a bit fluffier)

Whip ingredients together with hand mixer.

OPTIONAL TOPPING:
1/3 cup chopped pistachios
and/or
fresh mint leaves

ENJOY!

(Kristen Paris – Health Coach

SuperPowerHealth.com

It’s that time of year again (actually, a bit past it)… Strava, a social network for athletes, identified Jan. 12 as the date by which most people quit on their New Year’s resolutions. Only about 8 percent, according to a study by University of Scranton, actually keep their resolutions. Since about 55 percent of New Year’s Resolutions are health-related, it seems that we all know we aren’t a healthy population. And we start the year determined. What happens? Brain wiring happens. GOOD NEWS – if you are part of the 92 percent who don’t keep resolutions – ITS NOT BECAUSE YOU ARE WEAK! It’s because your Amygdala – the part of your brain responsible for keeping you alive – is STRONG! While our conscious selves thrive on growth and improvement, there’s another part (let’s call it the “critter brain”) dedicated to preserving the status quo. Similar in function to the brains of animals that largely just need to survive, this part of your brain has kept you alive all of these years using old ways. So when you exhibit the courage to step out into better ways, that part of you feels threatened. It isn’t sure it can keep you alive doing things differently. That war between two parts of yourself is not likely to lead to health and vitality. Willpower and deprivation are not your friends when it comes to changing habits and revitalizing your life – they set up a battle you can’t win. But Habit Change CAN happen! It takes curiosity about just how healthy you can become, and the courage to step into the adventure. But once accomplished, great health can become instinctive, easy, and pleasurable, so you don’t have to force yourself any more than you force yourself now to do things that feel good – like brushing your teeth or taking showers.
So, where to begin? Don’t start with deprivation! Cutting things out (like sugar, processed foods, or binge-watching TV instead of taking a walk) leaves empty places within us. Instead, try Crowding Out. What can you find today to fill your plate that will flood your body with so many nutrients that every cell does a happy dance and thanks you for giving it all that it needs to serve you well? Filling up on nutrients our body needs leaves us less space (both physically and emotionally) for things that tear us down. It’s been said that food is either the most potent medicine or the slowest form of poison. Fill your plate with the “medicine” of wild-caught salmon, asparagus, avocados, sweet potatoes, berries, mushrooms (asian varieties preferred), or spinach, and there won’t be space left for the “poison” we tend to turn to for comfort. What new healthy food will you deposit in your body’s health account today? #health#change#growth

We see it everywhere: spinach is a superfood. “Healthy” sections of menus are often headed up by delicious spinach salads. And it’s true! Spinach is packed with beneficial nutrients: potassium, which can help lower blood pressure, lutein and zeaxanthin (for eye health – guard against macular degeneration and cataracts, as well as improving cognition), vitamin K for bone health, vitamin A for glowingly healthy skin, and anti-oxidants like kaempferol (reducing cancer risk) and quercetin (warding off infection and inflammation). It even contains compounds like MGDG and SQDG, which have been found to slow cancer growth. And to top it off, spinach is loaded with healthy fiber. BUT, like most superlatives, it has a dark side: oxalic acid (also called oxalates – there is a chemical difference, but for our purposes, these terms will be used interchangeably). Oxalic acid binds with calcium, and when leaving the body, can form kidney stones. It also inhibits the absorption of minerals, like calcium and the iron that spinach was famed for in times gone by (though the non-heme iron in spinach is very difficult for the body to absorb anyway, but that’s another topic).* I am not saying Spinach is bad – it’s great, and is the key ingredients in many, many of my healthiest recipes! But what can we do about its dark side?

1. BOIL IT! Oxalic acid can be destroyed (or at least diminished) by steaming or boiling. Boiling spinach is the most effective way to reduce its oxalic acid content. But sadly, this will also diminish other nutrients like vitamin C and the B vitamins, so, don’t overdo it! A minute should be plenty!
2. Substitute Kale. While Spinach is high in oxalates, Kale is low. (For those in greater danger of kidney stones, other substitutions can also be made easily for other high-oxalate foods…. Raspberries are high, blueberries and blackberries are both low. Almonds are high, but walnuts and cashews are low. Navy beans are high, but Kidney beans are low. Dates are high oxalate, but Figs are low. Spinach is high, but Kale is much lower)
3. HYDRATE! OK, that’s kind of cheating. Hydration does not reduce oxalic acid. But, when our bodies are well hydrated, urine passes more easily, and the risk of kidney stones is greatly reduced, making oxalic acid less of an issue.

So munch away on Superfood Spinach – your cells with thank you – but first reduce the villainous oxalates, at least sometimes. Limited amounts of raw spinach can still be beneficial. Like most dietary issues – moderation is key!

• Note – as with any health topic, research is ongoing, and opinions vary as to the relative safety of oxalic acid / oxalates in diet. Those with a history of kidney stones should consult a doctor regarding their particular health situation. For most of us, moderate amounts of raw spinach are generally regarded as safe.

When I close my eyes and dream of the perfect holiday season, a lot comes to mind: family, connection, a sense of belonging, smiles, laughter, conversation, and time spent together. What DOESN’T come to mind? Fudge. Cookies. Eggnog. Extra helpings of turkey with stuffing. Port wine cheese balls. These are the ‘cravings’ that I associate with holidays, yet they aren’t even on my Christmas wish! Often, the things we mindlessly reach for first are only a symbol associated with what we really want. Beneath the surface cravings which are so often destructive to health, lie the true needs for deeper, more satisfying soul-nourishment. When we reach for what will truly nourish us, health is bolstered rather than destroyed. Listen to the deeper needs this season. Indulge the cravings of the heart! What fills those is nourishment we never regret indulging in!

I have a weakness. I eat all the Oreos I have. But I have a strength. I hate to spend money. I can use this strength to overcome my weakness. When I go shopping, I tell myself that the Oreos are expensive. They don’t come home with me and I don’t eat them.

I have found that spending exercise time outdoors increases the effectiveness of the exercise by at least 20%. The fresh air and mental and emotional connection to nature are worth more than a treadmill has to offer. (Though not to be despised when that is what is available!)