I love cooking and trying new recipes. Here are two recipes for you that I’ve tried and thought worth passing along!

Scallop and Vegetable Stir Fry

1 1/2 tsp. oil (you can use vegetable oil or another oil of your choice)
1 lb cut broccoli or asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 1/2 pieces red bell peppers, cut into strips (about 3/4 of a lb)
1 lb scallops (or any fish of your choice)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
** as a garnish use 2 Tbsp chopped fresh Chinese parsley

8 servings

Heat oil in large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and red pepper; cook, stirring until almost tender, about 8 minutes. Add scallops and soy sauce; continue to cook until scallops are done. Add the sesame oil, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes. Cook until hot, 2-3 minutes. Serve with Chinese parsley scattered over the top.

Watercress Soup

1/2 bunch watercress
4 cups water
1/2 lb lean chicken, thinly sliced
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 egg, beaten

Wash watercress and cut into 2-inch pieces. Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add chicken and reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes. Skim any froth. Add watercress, sesame oil, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil again. Turn off heat and add egg in a slow stream while stirring quickly with chopsticks to form thin strands of egg. Let stand one minute before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Enjoy!

shelli

Three nutritional tidbits for you today!

1. Are you thinking of buying organic fruits and vegetables?

One of the questions I get asked most often is, “If I want to buy organic fruits and vegetables, which ones ARE on the MUST buy organic list?”

So here it is. I suggest printing this list out and posting on your fridge for quick reference.

To avoid pesticides the TOP 10 most contaminated fruits and vegetables are: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, cherries, strawberries, kale, lettuce, imported grapes.

2. Do you need a boost with your math skills?

Chocolate has been shown to improve math skills.

Now I must admit that my math skills are just fine but this study caught my eye anyway.

Researchers from the UK recently showed that “flavonol-rich” chocolate, defined as containing at least 520 mg of cocoa flavonols per serving, significantly improved mentally demanding tasks like arithmetic. You might want to test this theory out yourself!

3. Do you eat breakfast before you exercise?

Researchers report that eating breakfast BEFORE performing resistance exercise leads to greater increases in muscle protein synthesis.

Why should you care?

Because that means you’ll boost your muscle-building power if you eat before you strength train, no matter what time of day it is. You are strength training, I hope?? Eating a small meal (or shake) approximately 30-60 minutes prior to training should do the trick.

shelli

One of the topics I come back to over and over again when I write these articles is stress management.

And I believe that one of the most stressful behaviors or habits is “multi-tasking.”

I can feel the extra stress that trying to multi-task adds to my already fast paced life, and I’m guessing that you feel it in your day to day life as well.

It’s come to my attention in study after study that we really aren’t multi-tasking at all.

We’re actually switch-tasking.

So I’d like to share some of what I’ve learned and cast my vote in favor of Uni-Tasking.

The problem is not the world we live in and its technological possibilities, it’s about how we process information.

Study after study shows that we think we’re doing two things at once, when, really, we’re doing only one and just switching back and forth.

And in this switching process there’s a huge loss of efficiency.

From what I’ve read, it takes only 20 minutes of INTERRUPTED activity for people to report feeling higher levels of stress and pressure. If you live like this constantly, it starts a vicious cycle by releasing higher levels of stress hormones and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

When I think back to my parents or grandparents generation, there was a different sense of using time.

When we ate we ate, when we watched TV we watched TV; you know what I mean.

I think there are certain gifts you miss when multi-tasking.

Giving 100% of yourself to a task, moment or relationship brings a deeper sense of satisfaction and sense of peace.

When our minds are filled with noise, the brain gradually loses its capacity to attend fully to anything we do.

We’re training it through multi-tasking to have an attention deficit trait.

Another interesting point is that part of the essence of creativity is absorption.

Whether through meditation, taking a walk, or prayer, allowing yourself to recharge and be in the moment is essential to creativity and inspiration.

So think about doing some serious UNI-TASKING this coming week and see if you don’t feel the difference.

Maybe you’ll even want to join me in my desire to become a UNI-TASKER from here on out??

What’s been your experience with multi-tasking vs uni-tasking? Do you feel the difference?

shelli

5 Simple Easy Work-Out-in-No-Time Tips!

1. Spend a lot of time cooking in the kitchen?

Hold two 14-ounce cans, one in each hand, palms down. Raise your arms straight out in front of you until they are parallel to the floor. Pause, then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat 15 times.

Benefit: Strengthens your shoulder muscles and your grip.

2. Spend a lot of time in chairs?

Do chair squats.

Stand in front of a sturdy chair as if you’re going to sit down; raise your arms straight in front of you. Bend your knees and slowly lower yourself onto the chair; lightly touch down and then stand back up. Repeat 10-15 times.

Benefit: Strengthens thighs and glutes.

3. Spend time at counters or in front of the sink?

Hamstring kicks are fun.

Stand facing a counter (hold on for balance). Shift your weight to one leg, and bring your other heel up toward your buttocks. Hold and squeeze for a few seconds. Return your leg to the starting position, then lift it straight out to the side, and again back down. Repeat 15 times with each leg.

Benefit: Works hamstrings and outer-thigh muscles.

4. Waiting in line at the mall?

Try calf lifts.

Rise up on your toes and hold for 3 seconds. Lower; repeat 15 times.

Benefit: Tones and strengthens calf muscles.

Also try a balance challenge. Shift your weight to one foot and raise the opposite foot (hold on to something for balance if you need to). See how long you can keep your balance. Repeat with the other leg.

Benefit: Strengthens the supporting leg and improves balance.

5. Find yourself standing at the buffet table or in line to order food?

Tighten your abdominal muscles as if preparing to take a punch. Hold and squeeze for 5 to 10 seconds. Release and repeat 10 times.

Benefit: Strengthens abdominal and core muscles.

Try these and let me know what you thin. And always remember to have fun!

shelli

I thought we’d take a look at sweet potatoes.

Saluting a superfood like sweet potatoes is easy, they deserve it.

Why?

Keep reading!

Nothing even comes close to the amount of beta-carotene in sweet potatoes. Not even carrots.

Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that may help prevent strokes and certain kinds of cancer. After evaluating 50 vegetables for overall healthfulness, the Center for Science in the Public Interest ranked sweet potatoes near the top.

In addition to beta-carotene, they’re loaded with fiber and vitamin C and are virtually fat-free.

Plus, a six-ounce serving delivers nearly 10 times the U.S. recommended daily allowance of vitamin A.

What’s the best way to get more sweet potatoes into your diet?

Eat them when it’s NOT the holidays!

What’s the difference between yams and sweet potatoes?

Yams are native to Asia and Africa and are scaly with a dry, starchy taste. What is marketed in the U.S. as a yam is really a sweet potato, that has a moist orange or pale yellow flesh.

Here’s a fun recipe for sweet potato and apple soup. It makes 6 servings.

1 3/4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 small parsnip, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt to taste
6 cups vegetable stock or low-sodium broth
1 cup apple cider
1 tsp green Tabasco sauce
Finely diced Granny Smith apple and minced parsley for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a baking sheet, toss the sweet potatoes with the parsnip, garlic, olive oil and salt. Bake for 45 minutes, or until tender.
2. In a blender, puree half of the vegetables with 3 cups of the stock; transfer to a large saucepan. Repeat with the remaining vegetables and stock. Add the apple cider and Tabasco and heat. Season with salt. Serve with the diced apple and minced parsley.

Enjoy!

shelli

Let’s look at 4 Bone Myths!

1. “Milk builds bones.” False

Women with the highest calcium consumption from dairy products have more fractures than those who drink less milk. The fracture rates are much lower in countries that consume little dairy.

Fact: Mild exercise reduces the rate of falls and fractures by 25%

2. “HRT (hormone replacement therapy) protects you from osteoporosis.” False

While low levels of estrogen are associated with the loss of bone density, it is bone QUALITY that determines the likelihood of fracture. HRT has failed to live up to its promise of building better quality bones.

3. “You have osteoporosis.” Often false.

Under the old standard, fracturing a bone after it experienced just slight stress was the best indication, but not any longer. New diagnostic techniques of bone imaging make it easier to detect osteoporosis. Don’t be bullied into taking unnecessary drugs with long term risks for a disease you don’t have.

Fact: Best protection is to get a bone density test and then use nutrition and physical activity to support your bone structure.

4. “Calcium supplements do the job.” False.

Not antacids, candy supplements or breakfast cereals that say “added calcium for strong bones.” None of them do the job. First, calcium is hard to absorb and needs to be combined with vitamin D. It also needs to be in a specific form to be effective (calcium citrate for example). Second, calcium is just one of many vitamins and minerals your bones need for health.

Fact: For healthy bones you need to have a diet rich in vitamins and minerals and then PERHAPS a supplement that includes minerals such as boron, silicon and zinc.

shelli

I’m going to talk about sex  because I get many questions from women who notice their sex drive isn’t what it used to be as they begin experiencing hormonal changes.

Even if you’re not in menopause yet, keep reading because as the old saying goes, “nothing is guaranteed but death, taxes and menopause.”

OK, so menopause wasn’t mentioned, but if it weren’t such a taboo subject it would have been!!

I read in a recent poll that 40% of women stated they had not had sex in over 6 months and that 75% of women polled said they weren’t having enough sex.

Getting healthy is the best way to supercharge your sex life and start feeling sexy again.

Getting healthier will reverse aging and bring your sex life back on track.

And when I talk about getting healthier, I’m referring to getting your hormones balanced again. You see, one of the main reasons you age prematurely and lose your sex drive is an imbalance in your hormones.

This can be caused by many different factors but the most common are eating junk food and general lack of good nutrition, eating too much meat and milk, stress, lack of exercise, and living in a toxic body.

A hormone imbalance can also contribute to depression, anxiety, fatigue, endometriosis, hair loss, facial hair growth, and osteoporosis.

So if not feeling like you’re in the mood for sex isn’t much of a motivator for getting those hormones balanced, maybe one of these other potential outcomes of hormone imbalance will motivate you!

Having more sex will also help you live longer, look younger, feel better and experience a happier mood state.

I wish I made all that up because it sounds so good, but in fact a recent study at Scotland’s Royal Edinburgh Hospital concluded that more sex slows the aging process. Many other studies also show through the use of CT scans that during orgasm, the areas of the brain that involve fear, anxiety, depression and other “negative” emotions are deactivated. I interpret this to mean that sex and orgasms really relax you and help you to let yourself go.

Three herbs in particular are popular when going the herbal route to balancing hormones for increased sex drive. They are Dong Quai Root, Chaste Tree Berry and Wild Yam Root.

These three powerful herbs are thought to affect the pituitary and hypothalamus in the brain, which both control the manufacture and release of hormones from the ovaries through the release of metabolic chemicals.

Licorice Root and Hops Flowers have also been used to treat hormonal imbalances. They also give you the sense of well being.

Of course it is important to get healthy and stay FIT.

So here are three simple steps to improving your sex life based on what I’ve covered.

1. RELAX. Do not be afraid to discuss how you’re feeling with your sex partner. How can you expect to enjoy sex without any communication with your partner? Talk and share what’s going on.

2. Herbs can be used as sexual stimulants. They both increase circulation to the sexual organs and boost up the hormones. Herbal formulas are one option for firing up your sex drive.

3. Get HEALTHY! When you are healthy and fit you naturally feel sexy and want to have more sex. A healthy lifestyle that includes nutrition, exercise and stress management (and the kinds of things we talk about each week in this blog) is the key to balancing hormones and experiencing a fulfilling sex life.

Vitality and passion are yours for the taking, so take good care of yourself (and your hormones) and the rest will follow!

shelli

Menopause is usually thought of in a few different ways.

Sometimes it feels like a curse, sometimes like the hell of old age, and sometimes like a beautiful natural change of life.

Kind of depends on which side of the bed you wake up on that morning, huh?

This can be the best part of life, not the worst.

It can be a time of contemplation, deeper spiritual awareness, and helping to educate and influence others around us with our wisdom and experience.

As for what actually causes menopause, the ovaries slow down and eventually stop functioning. This is marked by a reduction in the female hormone levels of estrogen and progesterone. In some women, this hormone drop is barely noticed. Most women do notice something and for many it’s debilitating.

The most common symptoms are hot flashes or lushes caused by vasodilator instability. Other symptoms are nervousness, fatigue, mental depression, crying episodes, insomnia and headaches.

It is very similar to PMS, which is also caused by hormone levels dropping. But, it does not stop in 5 or 10 days and can continue indefinitely. In some cases, menopause can lead to bone loss, osteoporosis and artery disease.

For some women menses just stops one day.

For others it gradually reduces over months, until it finally stops.

For some women the length of the menstrual cycle gets longer and then eventually ends.

Women who smoke cigarettes go into menopause on the average of one to two years earlier than non-smoking women. That statistic alone makes me glad I stopped smoking during college!

There are 4 things I find that make the hormonal changes and fluctuations easier for most women.

Step 1: Hormonal support and balance.

There are many natural options for bringing your hormones back into balance. That’s why I wrote Navigating Hormone Health. It’s a great guide to assess what’s OUT OF BALANCE and then understand what to do to get that balance back.

Without proper understanding of your hormones and an intelligent approach to balance, you really are missing the link to feeling well and performing at your best during the changes of your middle years and beyond.

Step 2: Improve your nutrition.

Any time your body is being challenged and is changing, as it is during menopause, it’s a good idea to make sure your nutrition is top notch because of the levels of both physical and emotional stress.

Fatigue and low energy are often chief complaints of women during menopause and optimal nutrition really will restore your energy.

I can’t say enough about the importance of a good healthy food program during this time of change. Junk food, too much salt, artificial anything, and overly acidic foods all contribute to increasing the symptoms of menopause.

Step 3: Keep your channels of elimination healthy.

The physical location of the uterus between the colon, rectum and bladder, makes keeping a clean colon important. If you have bowel issues, see that you get these handled.

Same goes for your kidneys. You want to keep your urinary tract clean, disease-free and functional. Keeping your elimination systems clean and working properly takes physical stress off the female reproductive organs and eases the transition through menopause.

Step 4: Get enough exercise and increase circulation.

Maintaining a routine exercise program during menopause is NOT AN OPTION, it’s a must.

It helps with everything from circulatory disturbances to bone loss.

Not walking? Start walking 45 minutes to an hour 4-5 times a week. Hot flashes are the biggest menopausal symptom and exercise which benefits the circulatory system works wonders for flushes.

Even if you’re not in menopause yet, it’s coming down the pike.

If you’re over 40 and notice the effects of aging like a loss of energy and stamina and a general slowing down, NOW is the time to make what could very well be some of the most important decisions you’ll ever make involving your self care program.

EVERY woman needs these 4 steps in place so that we age well, protect our health, and have the peace of mind to live a vibrant and happy life!

shelli

A sedentary lifestyle can lead to costly chronic diseases……and has many other costs as well.

Do you feel like you’re getting enough exercise?

When I see surveys that look at different states in the U.S., across the board the answer is no.

Generally about half the adult population does not meet physical activity recommendations.

Many people cite that it costs too much money or takes up too much time, however I’m convinced that being unhealthy can cost both more time and more money in the long run.

Inactivity, along with an unhealthy diet (and they are often linked) adds up to gaining more pounds, putting you at risk for chronic diseases that are very costly to treat.

When departments of health or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looks at the statistics and adds up the costs, the numbers are staggering.

In Hawaii, for instance, if all adults were physically active, about $140 million could be saved on hospital costs related to heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

In the U.S. as a whole, health care costs associated with physical inactivity topped $76 billion in 2000.

If only 10% of adults started a regular walking program, $5.6 billion spent to treat heart disease could be saved. Please read that again because that number is staggering.

A 10% weight loss can reduce an overweight person’s lifetime medical costs by $2,200 to $5,300 by lowering costs associated with high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and high cholesterol.

Just how much physical activity is beneficial to your health?

Studies show that 30 minutes of mode