Which Path Will You Choose?

Once again, it's been a while since I have been here so I have a lot to catch up on. Life takes many twists and turns and health problems happen fast and furious as we get older if we are not mindful. We must pay attention to our bodies and how we feel inside and out. This is what leads us to the choices we make each day concerning what we eat and drink, physical activity we choose, career choices, and spiritual practices such as religion, yoga and meditation. I have come to realize in the last 6 years that there is a fix for everything if you just give it the time and thought process you need to come up with a viable solution. I beg you to look in the natural, alternative direction and avoid pharmaceuticals, chemicals and carcinogens in cleaners, body lotions, makeup, hair products, etc. We are living in a time and place where things are so easy to obtain, and quick fixes are the norm, but if we take the time to read labels and realize that we have and can get most of what we need to create healthy alternatives we will be moving in a much more healthy, holistic direction. I was talking to a friend the other day and she wanted to make a marinade for steak. She doesn't cook too much and found a ready made marinade with a plastic bag to shake up the steak and marinade together. Thank god she read the label of the marinade and the first and biggest ingredient was high fructose corn syrup. As she continued to read the label she noticed all the chemicals and ingredients that she didn't know. She decided to go home and make her own with good individual ingredients she had at in her kitchen. The marinade turned out great and she was so proud of herself. PLEASE READ THE LABELS!! I know life gets busy and we are always in a hurry to find the quickest fix but it is so important to know what you are eating if you are buying something processed or ready made. Always look for NON GMO so you are not getting genetically modified food that has been sprayed with pesticides and herbicides and is resistant to the spray. The chemicals are in the food you are eating and causing inflammation and toxicity in your body which will eventually lead to disease and sometimes death. Also look for Organic which has been grown in clean environments and tested for harmful chemicals. I shop at Costco as they are carrying so many organic products and I can buy in bulk at good prices. I am amazed when I talk to friends who live alone and they always tell me that they don't want to buy so much and don't need to cook regular meals just for themselves. Well I say, why not? We deserve good healthy meals even if we are by ourselves. It is so easy to cook a delicious  nutritious meal in about 20-30 minutes. If you follow me on Facebook you have seen my food posts. I am proud of my creations and want to share them to show that it is not that hard and can be so satisfying and delicious. I also try to make it colorful by eating the rainbow of fruits and veggies, getting all the nutrients I need as often as possible. My body loves me for it!! When I first started my health coaching course we were tasked with making certain dishes. I have always cooked but not really gone out of my comfort zone so it was a bit intimidating. One thing I learned was if you screw it up just start again. I did screw it up but quickly realized my mistakes and the next version was pretty good. Cooking is now so much fun for me. I don't really need recipes or measurements unless it is a desert.

Organic orange yolk eggs over avocado

Avocado egg salad

Indian bison with broccoli and avocado

Pumpkin chocolate complete shake

Chicken cacciatori with spinach

Fruit Rainbow

Shrimp and broccoli

Brussel Sprouts onions and tomatoes

Usually I keep organic chicken, lamb loin chops and wild caught salmon in the freezer that I buy from Costco. You can separate them into smaller portions before freezing and they are ready to go when want them. I like fresh veggies but they do not stay good long enough to buy in bulk so I buy organic veggies in the freezer section as well. The broccoli and brussel sprouts come in 4 one pound bags inside a large bag for super cheap prices and they are organic. The benefit of buying in bulk. I have also bought cauliflower rice which is frozen and can be cooked as a rice substitute. It basically has no taste so you can create whatever flavors you desire. Spices really make the dish so don't be afraid to toss in whatever you like. I have gotten ideas just from walking thru Costco and trying the samples. One of my favorites these days is organic beets and goat cheese. I tried this at Costco and I now have it in my fridge all the time. They sell organic cooked beets in vacuumed packed that will stay good in the fridge for a few months. So easy to add to salads or just as a side dish with the goat cheese or whatever you like. I was never a beet fan but now I love them. Thank you Costco!! I should probably be a spokesperson for them. If we only had more locations as they are super crowded right now in South Florida with the season upon us. My favorite food at this time of year is pumpkin. I just found organic pumpkin in Publix and added it to my vanilla complete shake yesterday. So good!!! I will try it with the chocolate as well but will need more to overpower the chocolate flavor. I love both chocolate and pumpkin so it will be good either way.

Go out and expand your palette with some great delicious new foods you have never tried. Eat the rainbow, realizing that there are different nutrients, phytonutrients, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, etc in all, and the synergy of these working together in your body are making you thrive. I grew up with food being very important as most of us did. It has a new meaning now as it is truly thy medicine. My insurance policy is my fruit, veggie, grapes and berries, and omegas that I take everyday as whole food supplements to bridge the gap between what I should eat and what I do eat. It is virtually impossible to get this much nutrition everyday as there are over 35 different fruits, veggies and berries. I heard about these from a friend at a health fair and it made so much sense to me. I will take them for the rest of my life as I never get sick, recover quickly from physical activity, have great skin, hair, nails, and gums, and my gut is loving me for it.

Please contact me if you are interested in learning more about health and wellness, and would like to come to one of our events where doctors and mentors speak about nutrition and health. We also have great cooking parties such as Salad in a Jar and Potlucks.

We have one body and one life so make it the best it can be and realize that practicing prevention, instead of treating disease will always win in the end.

Which path will you choose?

Keep it Happy and Healthy

Susan G
Your Wellness and Nutrition Coach
www.sgeers.juiceplus.com
susangeers@gmail.com
757-352-1745