Oh how this picture makes me smile! — for 2 reasons.
One- my dad’s laughing in heaven and saying he warned me to keep mint in pots because it would take over everything.
And two- I did have it in pots, but my sons and all their friends would stand in the backyard and chew on my herbs and spit them out (as boys do). I loved watching through the window, and those memories will live in my heart forever. However, they would also pick the blooms off the plants and give them a toss. I guess the blooms took hold, so what I once grew for an occasional mojito or fancy dessert, I now grow enough for every meal.
I do love mint; it just sings summer to me. But did you know there are also health benefits from consuming mint?
promotes healthy digestion
clears mucous/congestion from nose, throat, and lungs
inhibits the release of histamines that cause allergies/hay fever
natural stimulant
improves oral health
quick and easy relief of nausea
people chewing mint gum have higher memory retention and alertness.
Of course, because I have so much this year, I’ve had to come up with new ways to use it and thought I share some recipes. Click here to check them out.
Mint’s one of the easiest herbs to take care of and can transform a smoothie, a glass of water, or a personal salad with just 2-3 leaves.
Do you plant an herb garden? And if so, do you grow mint?
If you don’t grow it yourself, you can easily find it at the farmers’ markets or grocery stores this time of year, but you should give it a try. Just remember, keep it in a pot or you’ll end up with a flower bed like mine!
Steps you can take to live a little greener and healthier all year long.
When I was first diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, I learned that part of supporting my immune system was to stop bombarding it with toxic substances. The body is an amazing healing machine; we just have to stay out of its way.
Today, on Earth Day, I wanted to share some ways that you can take action from home to help your immune system and the environment.
Stop buying bottled water– You know how I feel about hydration… I do think it’s a good idea to keep water at your side, but for water on the go, get a refillable bottle made of stainless steel or glass. Don’t buy plastic or aluminum lined with plastic. Here are some of my favorites, and all of these are brands that give back: Love Bottle, S’well, or Soma.
Don’t use non-stick cookware – Replace it with cast-iron, stainless steel, enamel coated iron, ceramic coated steel, or glass. I know it can be expensive, but keep in mind you don’t need a whole set. I have 5 total. And when it comes to ceramic lined pans, go cheap because the ceramic is soft and breaks down easily. Within a year, the pan will need replaced. These are the ones that I use: Le Creuset, All-Clad, Green Pan, and Cast Iron from Bobby Flay (because I do love me some Bobby Flay). Truly, any brand of cast iron will last forever and serve you well. Can’t afford new pans right now and can only use your non-stick? Just cook on very low heat. It’s when these pans are exposed to high heat that they release toxic fumes into the air or into your food.
Don’t use plastic or single use food storage containers – Choose glass or stainless steel instead. Glass is my favorite option; it makes it so convenient for reheating leftovers. I also freeze single servings of leftovers in glass. Just never fill it completely full – you must leave a little room for expansion upon freezing. To decrease plastic in the kitchen, I turned to these brands: Pyrex, Ball, Mecete, and Bee’s Wrap.
I know that when trying to improve your health, advice comes from all directions, and it can be overwhelming. Remember, you don’t have to do it all at once. Just start somewhere. Pick one habit to change this month. Replace one pan. Save a pickle jar and pack your lunch in it.
And don’t forget the ripple effect you can have on those around you. After you fall in love with your new water bottle, give one as a gift to someone you care about. Bee’s wrap was one of my most beloved gifts from my sister.
One step at-a-time. Take control of your health. Help the planet. Change the world.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States, I consciously decided to change the topics of my blogs. I had several written but felt the need to keep things light and deliver actionable items to help you navigate these unique circumstances. Three weeks ago, the Environmental Working Group released their annual Pesticides in Produce report. I’ve been researching it and debating on what to do with this information ever since. This topic is heavy and may make you angry, but if you are trying to take control of your health, this is something that you need to know now.
Background
Nearly 70% of fresh produce sold in the U.S. contains potentially harmful pesticides, according to the Department of Agriculture. Since 1991, the USDA annually tests nearly 44,000 commodities for pesticide residues. Before testing fresh produce, each fruit or vegetable is processed in the same way that people tend to do at home. Items are peeled and/or rinsed under cold water and drained, then tested. Therefore, the results are a good indication of the consumers’ likely exposure to pesticides.
The Environmental Working Group analyzes these results and ranks produce based on the following measures:
Percent of samples tested with detectable pesticides
Percent of samples with two or more detectable pesticides
Average number of pesticides found on a single sample
Average amount of pesticides found, measured in parts per million
Maximum number of pesticides found on a single sample
Total number of pesticides found on the crop
Using these numbers, they publish the annual “Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce” along with the “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean Fifteen” lists.
2020 Results
This year, EWG warns the dirtiest produce commodity is not a fresh fruit or vegetable but a dried one. Raisins. If raisins were fresh produce, they would be ranked #1 on the Dirty Dozen list, because 99% of samples tested positive for at least 2 pesticides. On average, each sample was contaminated with more than 13 pesticides, and one sample had 26 pesticides. And as if that’s not bad enough, 78% of organic raisins were contaminated with 2 pesticides. Some organic samples had up to 12.
Other significant takeaways from this year’s results are:
More than 90% of samples of strawberries, apples, cherries, spinach, nectarines, and kale tested positive for residues of two or more pesticides.
Multiple samples of kale showed 18 different pesticides. The pesticide most frequently found on kale was DCPA, sold under the brand name Dacthal. The EPA classifies it as a possible human carcinogen. The European Union banned it in 2009.
On average, kale and spinach samples had 1.1-1.8 times as much pesticide residue by weight than any other crop tested.
Hot peppers did not rank among the top twelve, but because they tested positive for pesticides that are toxic to the brain, hot peppers were added on to the “Dirty Dozen Plus” list.
Here is a summary of the highest ranked for you to take a screenshot of if you’d like. You can click here to see the full list of EWG’s rankings.
Pesticides and Children
In 2012, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued an important report that said children have unique susceptibilities to pesticide residues’ potential toxicity. The AAP cited research that linked pesticide exposures in early life to pediatric cancers, decreased cognitive function, and behavior problems.
According to Zion Market Research, children under the age of 15 eat about 208 million pounds of raisins each year. Some of the potentially harmful pesticides that the USDA found on raisins are:
Imidacloprid (on 84% of raisins) and acetamiprid (on 13%) are the bee-killing pesticides that also harm brain development.
Bifenthrin (on 77%) and tebuconazole (on 62%) are both classified as a possible human carcinogen and damage developing nervous systems in animals. Tebuconazole is also linked to endocrine disruption and impaired reproductive development.
Chlorpyrifos (on 5%) is damaging to the brain and is banned in the European Union.
How do I translate this to real life?
Wow, do I get angry when I review facts like these! I know this is a lot to take in. Like I’ve said before, the food system is broken. It’s a fact, and I am not one that can fight the system. However, I won’t bury my head in the sand either. I take in this information, and when buying produce I ask myself 2 questions:
#1 Is it on the “Dirty Dozen Plus” list? – If it is and organic is not available or is too expensive, I don’t buy it. Very black and white here. And this year, we won’t be buying raisins of any kind.
#2How often do I eat the item? – If it is something that I eat often/everyday (greens and blueberries), I will only buy organic. Is there really that big of a difference between the food ranked #15 or #20 and #12? If I eat those foods often, my body still has to work overtime to detoxify. Also, I don’t order salads when eating out unless I know it’s organic.
So much is out of our control these days, but what you buy and what you put in your body is still your decision. As I shared on my “How I Operate” page of my website, I truly believe that we can bring about change from the ground up by educating ourselves, listening to our bodies, and spreading the message.
For that reason, if there is someone you know that could use this information, please share it with them. And then let me know in the comments if you typically buy organic, how you decide what to buy, and if this blog changed the way you approach this subject.
It’s not just what you’re eating. It’s what’s eating you.
My husband had surgery 3 weeks ago, and for the first week, it was like having a newborn at home. He was totally dependent on me, and I did what I tend to do, what we all tend to do. I just went full steam ahead. I took care of him. I tended to my teenage boys. I showed up for events. I cooked. I did some accounting for his business. I checked in with his employees. I even answered the needs of some of you and put out a free meal plan. And I had to, as all of you did, comply and deal with social distancing. Uggggh!
And then, two beautiful souls checked in on me (and my husband) and simply said, “Don’t forget to take care of you.”
Ahhhhh. There it was, a reminder and permission. We all need it, even the strong ones, even the caregivers, even the coaches.
I hadn’t been to my space in quite awhile. My corner of the world where I can breathe — inhale a new perspective and exhale energy that is not working for me. It’s my space where I am able to renew and make space for me to grow. Without it, emotions get buried, blur my thinking, and literally make me sick.
During these turbulent times, the CDC put this out to remind us that stress lowers our immunity and makes us all more vulnerable to COVID-19. The virus is here. So much is out of our control. It’s overwhelming, and addressing our feelings and dealing with our stress is of upmost importance.
So I’m paying it forward… I remind you and give you permission to take a few minutes for you. Retire to a quiet corner, put in some ear buds and crank a tune, sit and cry, pray, take deep breaths, meditate, or scream. Do what feels good to you. (You can find one of my favorite stress-reducing meditations from Kris Carr here.)
Henry Maudsley, a pioneering 19th century psychiatrist said, “The sorrow which has no vent in tears may make other organs weep.” The medical theory is ancient and still, few practice it. Release the sorrow, the anxiety, the stress.
Just do it. And then pay it forward. Connect with your loved ones and give them permission. And please, check in on the strong ones. They’re often forgotten.
When I was first diagnosed with a dairy allergy, my husband’s response was, “Well, at least it’s not chocolate.” Ha! Might as well have been chocolate because all of my favorite chocolate bars contained dairy. Further along on my health journey, I noticed they also contained unhealthy fats, preservatives, massive amounts of refined sugars and food dyes. All of which I want to live without.
I know, this time of year, it’s a struggle. Therefore, I thought I’d share some of my favorite chocolate recipes that I’ve come to rely on when trying to stay away from the typical processed sweets. You’ll notice when using chocolate, I choose cacao. This is just a raw, unroasted version of cocoa. It is full of flavonoids / powerful antioxidants, more antioxidants than blueberries. It contributes to your health by stabilizing free radicals, lowering the risk for heart disease, improving cognitive function, and boosting your mood and energy. If interested, you can read more about the health benefits here. It is thought that the heating/roasting process to make cocoa destroys some of the nutrients. However, as the afore mentioned article shows, there are still many nutritional benefits from cocoa. You may choose to use cocoa, just check the ingredients to make sure it does not have any added oils, sugar, or milk fat.
I hope you enjoy and be sure to let me know in the comments if you try them.
Dates are often a perfect after dinner bite to satisfy my sweet tooth, but add some chocolate, and they’re sure to satisfy every dessert fan.
Ingredients
Scale
14 pitted Medjool dates
6 Tbsp raw cacao powder
4 Tbsp coconut oil (softened)
1 tsp alcohol free vanilla extract
Optional Toppings
1/4 c raw cacao powder for dusting
-or-
1/2c vegan chocolate chips (I buy Enjoy Life brand)
1 Tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
Cover dates with hot water, let soak for 5 minutes, then drain. This will soften them up, making it easier work for the processor.
Put the dates, cacao, coconut oil, and vanilla in a food processor and process until a pasty ball forms. It will be very sticky but scrape everything out of the processor and put in a large bowl.
Line a tray with parchment paper. Using a small ice cream scoop or a teaspoon, scrape heaps of the truffle mixture onto the parchment paper (don’t worry about their shape at this point, just divide up the mixture). Place the whole tray into the freezer for about 10 minutes.
Remove from the freezer and roll all of the pieces between your hands to form round balls. It’s a good idea to keep some warm water to dip your fingers in if you find the mixture too sticky to work with.
Place the balls back into the freezer for another 5-10 minutes and prepare your toppings.
If dipping the truffles in chocolate, melt the chips and coconut oil in a double boiler, stirring until smooth, and transfer to a bowl. Place one truffle at a time in the bowl and rotate with a fork until completely coated. Lift out of the bowl on the fork, letting excess chocolate drip off.
Place back on the parchment paper and let set. You may want to consider topping with a few grains of sea salt.
If topping with cacao powder, right before serving, simply dust with powder using a mesh strainer or use your fingers to roll the truffles in a bowl of powder. If you dust too early, the moisture from the truffles will absorb the powder, and they’re not as pretty.
With only 5 ingredients, these fudgy brownies deliver protein, magnesium, and fiber. They are vegan and gluten free, and a nutritional way to get your sweet fix.
Ingredients
Scale
1/2 c unsweetened almond butter
1/2 c raw cacao
1 c unsweetened organic applesauce
1–2 Tbsp coconut sugar
1 tsp alcohol-free vanilla extract
(Coconut oil for greasing the pan)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch square pan with coconut oil . Mix together all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Pour the mixture into the greased pan and bake for 35-40 min. They’ll be done when a knife inserted in the center of the brownies comes out clean. Let them cool completely before cutting. I recommend cutting them into 1- inch squares for the perfect bite. They’ll be soft and fragile.
Notes
May sprinkle nuts or cacao nibs on top of batter or stir them in for a little crunch if that’s your jam.
This treat is so rich and creamy. As a bonus, it delivers plenty of good fats and antioxidants to keep you healthy and satisfied.
Ingredients
Scale
2 ripe avocados
1/4 c coconut nectar
1/2 c unsweetened raw cacao powder
1 heaping Tbsp coconut oil (solid)
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of sea salt
(see below for optional garnishes)
Instructions
Blend all ingredients in a food processor until creamy.
Notes
I like it thick; it won’t budge when I turn the bowl upside down. However, if you want to thin it down, feel free to add a Tbsp or two of water or nut milk. Shredded coconut, mint, cacao nibs, or berries will make beautiful garnishes and some texture.
New research was recently published, and I couldn’t wait to share it with you. Soybean oil is used for fast food frying, added to processed foods, fed to livestock, and is, by far, the most widely consumed oil in the U.S. according to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. It is a polyunsaturated fat which has been categorically thought to be good for us (but never proven). In 2015, it was linked to obesity and diabetes. Now, new research out of UC Riverside showed that soybean oil could also affect neurological conditions like autism, Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, and depression.
The study compared the RNA-seq analyses of mice fed three different diets high in fat: soybean oil, low linoleic acid soybean oil, and coconut oil. The scientists found that both of the soybean oils caused pronounced effects on the part of the brain known as the hypothalamus. In fact, over 100 genes were not functioning properly, including the one responsible for the production of oxytocin (the feel good hormone). Levels of oxytocin were drastically decreased when compared to levels from the mice fed coconut oil.
Discussion points need to be that this research has not yet been translated to humans, and an important area for the team’s future research will be to isolate which chemicals in the oil are responsible for these changes. This will lead to a better understanding of the role that fats play in our body and what ones are healthiest for consumption. Right now, the team warns to reduce the consumption of soybean oil.
The researchers also made it a point to say not to throw out tofu, soy milk, edamame, or soy sauce. Those products contain very little soybean oil and large amounts of healthful essential fatty acids and proteins. That being said, in the MZ Method, I eliminate all soy products. A large portion of the population is sensitive to it, and in my experience, after people reintroduce it, many find that it causes headaches and fatigue.
Have you paid much attention to the type of oil in your food or just how much fat is there? Again, we must return to the notion of paying attention to what we’re eating and not how much we’re eating.
Behavioral science tells us that people usually change for one of two reasons.
1. Inspiration – We see something out there and begin to wonder if we could achieve it… wonder about the possibility of having it too.
2. Desperation – We are in so much pain, we HAVE to make a change. We are lost and forced to change direction.
Even though I started this website to inspire people to change, to prevent chronic disease before it starts, most people that have approached me in the past are desperate. They’re already sick. Their forest has burned down, and now they have to change.
Either way, it takes a great amount of courage to change, to be that honest. You have to take a real look at your life and believe that you can do something new. Some need convincing in the beginning, but everyone has the power to change their life. Yes, you too can have a real impact on your reality.
I help people change and impact their health through diet and stress management. (Those are two things that are at the root cause of most disease in this country.) But no matter what needs to shift, I have found that there’s 3 rules to follow when starting out.
1. Be honest – Spend some time reflecting on exactly what needs to change. Write it down. If there’s several items, put them in order of importance. Put sticky notes in various spots around the house or workplace for reminders. The clearer the signs, the easier it will be for you to head down the right path.
2. Start small – Think big, but start small. Stay focused on the steps you can take today while never losing sight of the destination. I know that when you’re sick and tired, some changes seem insurmountable, but trust me, little changes add up quickly. Let there be progress over perfection. Just start somewhere. And please remember that starting small does not mean living small. I want you to live large. That’s the whole point of all of this; it’s time you show up in a big way.
3. Establish community & connection – Clarity comes from engagement not thought. Don’t live in your head. Talk to those closest to you and make sure they know what it is that you want to achieve. Find those that will support you and stay engaged. If it is your health that you’re trying to change feel free to engage with me on social media. I get inspired by clients all of the time, and there is so much we can learn from each other.
Another small step I’d like to mention here – It’s on the topic of self-care. There has to be some amount of self-care in order to be motivated to change. Remember those sticky notes? Try putting one on the mirror in your bathroom that reads “I Love You.” Then look yourself in the eye everyday and say those words out loud. It will change your life!
Epigenetics (meaning “above genetics”) is an exciting field of research and is a term used to refer to changes that are not due to alterations in DNA sequence, rather, modifications that alter DNA accessibility and chromatin structure, thereby regulating patterns of gene expression. Simply put, how our genes express themselves is influenced by lifestyle choices; our diet and other factors can turn genes on and turn genes off, even the ones that determine our health.
All of our cells contain DNA, but it alone doesn’t know how to act without direction. Epigenetic markers provide that direction and tell our cells how to read the genetic code. The genetic code stays the same throughout our life, but it’s the epigenetic markers that can change and are influenced by our lifestyle choices.
The following picture is an example of the exact same DNA under the influence of different diets. Not only was the coat color affected, but the one on the left is obese and prone to cancer and diabetes. The one on the right is thin and healthy. You can find out more about this research here.
Food is so much more than calories and energy. It is information for your cells. Certain plant phytochemicals appear to be some of the major influencers on the epigenetic markers and can affect our metabolism, immune function, and response to stress, all of which contribute to the development of disease. In the past, epigenetic studies mainly focused on embryonic development, aging, and cancer. However, the field has expanded to show lifestyle influences on inflammation, obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and immune diseases.
I often get asked, “Are you telling me that my (disease) is my fault?” My response is this: It is not about blame or shame. It’s about acknowledging what we now know. It’s about taking your power back. There’s no doubt that the daily choices in your diet, how much you move, how you manage stress, and the amount of loving human connections you make can determine your ability to prevent and fight disease.
The exciting thing is — everyday, with every bite, with every choice, you can contribute to your health. Choose wisely. Choose lovingly. Choose you!
