A Healthy & Happy Thanksgiving!

My journey to nutritional coaching has meant that my family has provided many opportunities for me to "experiment" in the kitchen. And I’ve been a little worried that someday my family may boycott Thanksgiving at my house! But family and friends are often treated to find most of our well-loved family favorites with a few healthier twists that delight all! (I’ve included a new “nutritious but delicious” Thanksgiving recipe below.)

How you approach the holidays is a personal choice. For some of us, this is one of those “treat” days where we eat what we want, without guilt, knowing we’ll be back on our mindful eating path the following day. For others, particularly if you are trying to lose weight or live healthier, you certainly don’t want to start a “season" of overeating.

So here are a few of the tips I like to share this time of year:

• Try Thanksgiving grazing. Load your plate with vegetables first, then add whole grains and just a side of lean turkey. When the rest of the dishes and desserts are passed, choose a half serving of one or two that you really want – not an entire serving. That way you will get a taste of the holiday foods you love most, without overeating or feeling deprived. Filling up on vegetables during your meal helps to promote satisfaction while providing fullness to slow you down, and reduce any tendency to overeat
• Try alternatives, not abstinence. I’ve roasted sweet potatoes with a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg instead of marshmallows, for a lighter, healthier dish that still shouts “Thanksgiving!” This year I found a wild rice pilaf as an alternative to traditional bread stuffing (see the recipe below). 
• Don’t drink your calories. You don’t have to imbibe spirits to get into the spirit! If you enjoy a glass of red wine with dinner, then switch to sparkling water with lemon. This year, for a dash of holiday whimsy, consider a muddle of fresh raspberries and drop them into my water glass, stir, and sip!
• Pace yourself. Remember, Thanksgiving kicks off a “season of eating” – if you let it. And this year, we’ve got a two-for-one for many as the first day of Hanukkah coincides with Thanksgiving. Don’t give in to the domino-effect that can happen from consuming large amounts of sugar, alcohol and dairy (and potato latkes!). Also, remember that food temptation is only one stress of the holidays; houseguests, family dynamics, kids home from school—all can send you running to the refrigerator. Try to be aware of your relationship with food and how you feel after indulging. check in with any symptoms of overeating: Headache? Bloated? Exhausted? Moody? Why ruin your holiday by not feeling your best? Reducing or eliminating high sugar foods, excessive meat or alcohol and highly processed foods will help you avoid these symptoms, feel better and have more energy.
• Don’t throw it all away. Even if you do over-indulge on Thanksgiving day, remember: it’s just one day. Don’t throw away all of your hard work by turning one day into a long, weekend marathon of eating. Stock up on disposable containers and send guests home with all of the leftovers. Find out if a shelter will let you bring uneaten pies, cakes and casseroles. If you have to, you can always toss out the temptations; after all, which is worse: throwing away food or throwing away your hard-earned health and wellness by "finishing" the leftovers?
• Find other ways to enjoy the holidays. Bundle up and take a walk after the big Thanksgiving meal. Organize a game of touch football. Pull out the board games and close down the kitchen. Build a fire and tell stories, or watch old family videos (remember those?). In our family, we take a few minutes at the table for each one to share what they are most thankful for this year. Everyone slows down for a minute and it reminds us what this holiday is truly all about - Giving Thanks!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Eating from the Rainbow

An article by: Catherine Schroeder, RD

In addition to rainbows in the sky, April showers inspire the growth of a colorful array of spring fruits and vegetables to decorate your dishes, tempt your taste buds and nourish yourself naturally!  

Vibrantly colored produce adds visual appeal to any dish without the use of synthetic dyes or additives.  More importantly, these brightly colored foods pack a powerful nutrition punch.  Fruits and vegetables have a high nutrient density, meaning they provide high amounts of nutrients for a low amount of calories.   Choosing more foods with higher nutrient density is linked with healthy body weight, greater energy levels and lower risk of chronic disease.  The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics at www.eatright.org recommends most adults should “strive for five” servings of fruits and vegetables daily, as a general goal to improve diet and nutrition.  This approximates to about 2 cups daily of fruits and vegetables. For more information on getting enough produce, see www.choosemyplate.gov or www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org.

Experiment with different color combinations to paint a daily menu full of vitamins and minerals: the brighter the better! Visit your local supermarket or farmers’ market to see what’s in season.  Or consider joining a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) which links you to a local farm where you reap the fresh bounty all season: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/ for more information.

Red/Pink: Many red foods contain lycopene, the antioxidant that may help reduce risk of heart disease and some types of cancer.  Examples include tomatoes, ruby red grapefruit, apples, strawberries, apricots, guava, papaya, raspberries, blood oranges, red bell peppers, guava, watermelon, cranberries, pomegranate, radishes, and red onion.

Orange/Yellow: Colored from beta-carotene, a precursor or Vitamin A, these foods may improve vision, support immune function, help lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation.  These foods are rich in Vitamin C, thiamine, magnesium, and potassium.  Examples include oranges, tangerines, sweet potato, butternut squash, cantaloupe, carrots, peaches, nectarines, pumpkin, mango, banana, lemons, yellow raspberries, yellow bell peppers, spaghetti squash, corn, and pineapple.

Green: Loaded with antioxidants to reduce free radical damage within the body and decrease disease risk, fiber to support digestion, and micronutrients to support metabolism, green produce offers a powerhouse of nutrition.  Examples include Swiss chard, lettuces, turnips, collard and mustard greens, peppers, avocado, broccoli, kale, kiwi, spinach, peas, celery, apples, grapes, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, fresh herbs such as parsley, and cucumbers.

Blue/ Indigo/Violet: With colors attributed to flavonoids, these foods promote cardiovascular health and may stimulate neurologic function: a true brain food! Examples include blueberries, blue corn, grapes, beans, eggplant, plums, blackberries, purple cabbage, and beets. Tea and cocoa are also sources.  For more on antioxidants in foods: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/antioxidants.html 

Color your plate today! More does matter.  There is even a free phone app to help you track your intake: http://munch5aday.com/.  For more tips and ideas, see http://www.foodnetwork.com/spring-produce-guide/package/index.html 

1. Play with your food- Not a raw veggies lover? Experiment with different sauces and dips to change the flavor of your snack! Plunge carrots in hummus, dunk bell peppers in salsa, or top celery with low-fat cream cheese.  Speckle apple slices with a dollop of peanut butter and raisins, top a bowl of berries with Greek yogurt, or drizzle a banana with melted dark chocolate chips and crushed walnuts.  For more recipes: http://www.bonappetit.com/ideas/vegetable-recipes/search 
2. Plan your produce: Don’t leave home without fruit and veggie snacks! The best way to avoid the vending machine is to keep convenient produce snacks on hand and easily accessible when the mid-afternoon munchies hit.  Chop up raw veggies ahead of time and pre-pack into baggies.
3. Make it fun- Adding more produce can be a challenge, but try making a game out of it.  Start by trying to include two different colors in each meal.  When you’ve mastered that, try to include three different colors in every meal (and so on).  Engage the whole family in this initiative and aim to eat the rainbow every day.
4. Remember every bit counts! Simple and small changes can make a dramatic impact on your health.  Place a few leaves of lettuce or arugula on a sandwich, add roasted vegetables to pasta, top pizza with broccoli and cauliflower, or mash avocado instead of mayo on a bun.  Berries are a great addition to a bowl of cereal, atop yogurt, or in a muffin recipe.  Mix together green and red grapes for color or carve watermelons to use as a bowl for fruit salad. 

The more colorful produce you can include in your diet, the more vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber you will receive.  This spring, instead of trying to cut out and limit the “bad” foods, focus on the many nutrients you can add with vibrant fruits and vegetables.

MyOmBody App!

MyOmBody releases health and happiness app for iPhone

Cambridge, MA 

MyOmBody, a health startup, has introduced an app that allows you to track your health and happiness on your iPhone. MyOmBody is based on three beliefs:

• There is more to food than calories
• There is more to wellbeing than being skinny
• Optimal health is about feeling awesome, not doing everything “right”

“Your relationship with your family, your social life and your sense of fulfillment in your career are more important determinants of your well-being than eating broccoli or running marathons,” says MyOmBody founder Lindsey Witmer. “We wanted to create a platform where you could track everything and get insight into how it all connects.”

MyOmBody quizzes users once a day with questions such as:

• How much have people enjoyed being around you today?
• Can you let go of the things outside of your control today?
• How many fist-sized servings of vegetables did you eat today?

Over time, the app gives users insight into how these various aspects of their life might be connecting. For example, you might find out that:

• You have less energy when you eat wheat
• Generosity reduces your stress levels
• The pain in your joints is affected by your sugar consumption

“Algorithms are really fun,” says Witmer. “But I don’t believe that algorithms or apps, even this one, will ever be able to replace human caregivers.” MyOmBody gives every user of the app a free initial consultation with an integrative health coach. “I chose these coaches out of hundreds of applicants; they have thriving practices all over the US and the world. I am thrilled to be able to offer their services to MyOmBody users.”

Download MyOmBody now at: http://bit.ly/VBfncP

Grateful for the People in my Life

The recent hurricane that affected millions of people on the east coast has made many reflect with gratitude on the many privileges we enjoy daily, and often take for granted. The simple pleasures of a warm and protective home, a loving family at your side, and food in your belly are enough to fill your heart with joy. But how do you share that positive perspective with the people around you? During this Thanksgiving holiday perhaps you will find new ways to enjoy and thank the significant people in your life who support, love and encourage you.

Beyond appreciating those in your immediate circle, there are many ways you can weave a theme of gratitude into your home, work and social life. This practice of finding joy and gratitude not only improves emotional health and relationships, but ultimately benefits your physical health by reducing internal stress.

1. Thank those around you. Many small favors are exchanged daily between people we interact with often, in fact we take those favors for granted more than we actually notice the helpful reminder, door held open, email or text with a cheerful thought or just checking in on you. build gratitude into your daily interaction by noticing those people doing small favors for you or others; and the simplest acknowledgement is to say, “Thank you!”
2. Send special gifts. People just love fun surprises like cards, healthy snacks, gift cards, flowers or invitations to meet over lunch, coffee, or dinner. Incorporating occasional gifts for family, friends or co-workers can make them feel special and magnify the impact of your relationship.
3. Pay it forward. Giving back to your community can have advantages too. Volunteering for causes you care about, donating food to feed the hungry, giving financially to your church or a charity are ways to give back to a larger world. Giving to help the struggles of others strengthens an important quality for living a life of gratitude, and that quality is compassion.

 How will you express gratitude to the special people in your life... not only for this Thanksgiving holiday, but as a health habit? 

Thank you for taking time to connect with me through this blog...

Fatigue, Sleep and FOOD!

Fatigue, sleep and food are all related. Simply put, if your diet lacks essential sleep, vitamins and nutrients, you are very likely to experience fatigue that limits your energy, productivity, and the ability to enjoy significant relationships. 

Here are some tips that you can use to fight fatigue:

• Perhaps the most obvious way to reduce fatigue is by getting more rest. Focus on increasing your sleep time by going to bed 30 minutes earlier each night. 

• Drink more water! This key nutrient is often overlooked in favor of caffeine, but adequate water intake can boost energy more effectively than caffeine over time. It’s suggested that increasing your water intake to at least 8 glasses a day will help reduce fatigue. Sip water throughout your day to keep hydrated and alert with the added benefit of reducing cravings!

• If you lack vitamin B or iron in your diet, these can also lead to fatigue. Essential B vitamins and iron can be found in foods like seeds, leafy greens, Brewer’s yeast, eggs, kale, carrots, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, garlic, mushrooms, beans, bananas and berries. 

• Reducing your intake of simple carbohydrates like bread, pasta, convenience foods and sweetened foods will also help with fatigue. Make sure that your diet consists of more complex carbohydrates like whole grains, fruit and plenty of colorful vegetables and leafy greens. 

And training your body and schedule to allow for sleep that is unbroken and restful is often the biggest challenge of all. Remember to turn off electronics 30 minutes or more before sleeping. Do not eat or drink within two hours of sleeping, as this creates “work” for your digestive tract that keeps your body from sleeping soundly. Set your mind on hopeful or grateful thoughts from your day. Relax your muscles with gentle stretching before getting into bed. 

Daytime habits and bedtime routines are related and affect each other. Create the nutritional habits during the day that support your body’s requirement for rest at night... a happier, more energized life is your gift!

Summer Tips Help Avoid "Gotchas"

I am fortunate to be a member of Virgin Health Miles and using their pedometer with monitoring to get my body moving more and loving the physical shape that is improving with the consistency of walking 7000+ steps every day! Check out this blog post for summer tips that can benefit your health and happiness! 

Read below, or visit: HealthMiles Blog

Bask in the summer fun but avoid the Gotchas!

Summer means longer days, fun in the sun, water and outdoor activities, and people gatherings where food is a plenty.  With summer officially here in the northern hemisphere, we’ve got a few more daylight hours.  And that means more time (early mornings and evenings) to head outside and cash in on the fun.  Check out our summer tips, and oh yeah, watch out for those gotchas!

Summer Tips:

• Try waking up earlier to take in the fresh morning air and go for a brisk walk, jog or a run.  It’s a great way to get your blood circulating and your day started.  Or go for a walk after dinner when the heat of the day has subsided.  It’s a great way to burn off some calories.  Get family or friends to join in and make it a special time to catch up – free of the distractions of TVs, phones and other electronics.
• Take some vacation time to clear your mind and rest your body.  Stress reduction does the body and mind GREAT! 
• Fresh fruits and vegetables are especially bountiful in the summer months.  Seek out local farmers’ markets or grow your own.  Herbs are super easy to grow and they add tremendous flavors to your food. Taste the difference freshness makes. According to the Centers for Disease Control, Americans aren’t eating enough fruits and vegetables.  Why not set a goal to buck that trend!

Gotchas:

• The sun’s rays are hitting the earth at a more direct angle during the summer, heightening the intensity of exposure.  Over time, the sun’s ultraviolet rays (UV) can damage skin, cause freckles and even pre-cancerous and cancerous cells.  So don’t forget to apply sunscreen or sunblock when you are under the sun.  Damage to the skin may not be apparent when you are young, but it certainly will show in later life.  Make sure you use a product that protects against both UVA and UVB rays.     
• When boating or engaging in water activities, be careful to limit your alcohol use.  Alcohol can actually cause or worsen dehydration, not to mention impairing your coordination, concentration and judgment. Although consumed as a beverage, alcohol is no substitution for proper hydration.
• Don’t forget to protect yourself from insect bites. If you plan to be in the woods or open fields with tall undergrowth, put on some insect repellent to avoid tick, mosquito and other bug bites.  These little critters carry diseases that can lead to rare but dangerous health issues like Lyme disease and encephalitis (swelling of the brain).  Protect yourself, don’t play the odds.   
• While outdoor grilling are tons of fun, try swapping out processed patties and meats (like burgers and hot dogs) for chicken, fish and vegetables.  Processed foods are higher in sodium, preservatives and fat content which in excess can harm your heart health.  Opt for fresh food
  whenever possible.  Summer is a great time for fresh harvest so be creative and treat your body well and your taste buds even better!              

Great Skin for Summer!

Summer skin needs pampering with more than just creams or lotions to be your most beautiful whether on the beach or spending time with friends at home or at an event. Think in terms of a complete makeover that includes good food, hydration, sleep and a big dose of happiness to keep you smiling!


Read more and access the ebook to get a radiant, sun-kissed glow with these tips! Click the link below to access the new ebook from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition:
http://www.integrativenutrition.com/go/healthy-skin-secrets-offer?erefer=0015000000MEoh5

Sunshine Surprise

Excerpted from a recent newsletter by The Center for Advancement in Cancer Education comes the following article:

Don't believe the myth that the sun is dangerous and that sunscreen is protective! There is little scientific evidence to justify the many health campaigns that urge you to avoid unprotected sun exposure.  The potential of natural sunlight to harm you has been greatly blown out of proportion by doctors, health officials, and sunscreen manufacturers, all of whom would have you believe that you need to stay out of the sun because the sun will hurt you. This simply isn't true. In fact, numerous studies show that the sun is healthy for you, and that appropriate sun exposure could actually save your life!  

  

Moderate sun exposure to the right kind of sun rays is the key. Ultraviolet light from the sun comes in two main wavelengths -- UVA and UVB. UVA is dangerous because it penetrates the skin more deeply and causes more free radical damage, and these rays are quite constant during all daylight hours throughout the entire year. UVB is the healthful wavelength that is especially high at midday (so forget those warnings to avoid the noon sun!) UVB  exposure helps your skin produce vitamin D.

Wearing a sunscreen on your uncovered skin blocks your body's production of vitamin D by as much as 99.9%. And this may have dire health consequences. Vitamin D (really more of a hormone than a vitamin) plays a crucial role in our overall health. Not only does vitamin D help support cardiovascular health, promote optimal cholesterol levels, enhance muscle strength, produce optimal blood pressure levels, maintain a healthy immune system, support healthy kidney function, promote healthy teeth, and strengthen our bones, but it can also prevent many forms of cancer! Including skin cancer.

It is true that long-term, excessive exposure to sunlight can increase the risk of certain types of skin cancer. But moderate sun exposure is less dangerous than sporadic intense sunburn, and several studies have confirmed that appropriate sun exposure actually helps prevent skin cancer. There's a good deal of evidence that sun exposure without sunburn significantly decreases the risk of developing melanoma (the most deadly form of skin cancer). Melanoma is actually more common among indoor workers than outdoor workers, and it is more common on regions of the body that are not exposed to the sun at all. UVB radiation has been found to delay the appearance of melanoma if one is genetically predisposed to skin cancer. Bottom line, melanoma risk can be increased by lack of exposure to sunshine and long-term exposure to indoor fluorescent lighting.  

One study actually revealed that patients already diagnosed with melanoma who had higher levels of sun exposure (without burning) were less likely to die than other melanoma patients, and were prone to a less aggressive tumor type. An Italian study, published in the European Journal of Cancer in June 2008, confirms and supports earlier studies showing improved survival rates in melanoma patients who were exposed to sunlight more frequently in the period before their melanoma was diagnosed.

Moreover, sunlight exposure has also been shown to protect against as many as sixteen different types of cancer, including breast, colon, endometrial, esophageal, ovarian, bladder, gallbladder, gastric, pancreatic, prostate, rectal, and renal cancers, as well as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. 

And, although you can get vitamin D from food sources and nutritional supplements, natural sunlight is by far the best way to get your vitamin D.  As soon as the sun's ultraviolet rays strike your skin, your body starts producing its own natural vitamin D in its most active form -- calciferol (vitamin D3). Vitamin D3 is actually the precise form your body needs for the proper functioning of your organs and cells. And, our bodies automatically generate enough of it with virtually no risk of overdose when given appropriate sun exposure. Whereas, if you are obtaining your vitamin D strictly from oral supplements, you could get more than needed adding up to a toxic dose range. Be sure to get your Vitamin D levels checked by your doctor.

The bottom line is that the body needs some unprotected sun exposure. The known risks for getting skin cancer increase in relationship to sunburn frequency and severity. Limiting excessive sun exposure is smart, wearing protective clothing when outdoors in the sun for long periods of time, and using sunscreen can also help reduce the risk of skin cancer and other harmful effects of the sun. 

There are also simple lifestyle changes you can make to radically decrease your risk of sunburn, such as increasing raw vegetables that are loaded with skin protecting antioxidants and phytonutrients, avoid processed foods, sodas and sugars, and drink plenty of pure water! 

Support the Center for Advancement of Cancer Education with your order for their Book of the Month: 

The Skin Cancer Breakthrough Program

Veggies, Cancer and Epigenetics

The often quoted phrase "Your mother is right; eat your veggies!" has the backing of a biologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The article recently published in the journal, Clinical Epigenetics, discusses research in this field that has coined a new lifestyle concept calle the Epigenetics Diet. 


Worldwide research in this field is proving the benefit of eating vegetables, particularly the cruciferous vegetables, for reducing risks for debilitating diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's. Consider the following food options cited in this research summary:

Epigenetics is the study of the changes in human gene expressions with time, changes that can cause cancer and Alzheimer’s, among other diseases. In recent years, epigenetics research worldwide, including numerous studies conducted at UAB, have identified specific food compounds that inhibit negative epigenetic effects. 

Those foods include soybeans, cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage. Green tea, fava beans, kale, grapes and the spice turmeric round out the diet. 

“The epigenetics diet can be adopted easily, because the concentrations of the compounds needed for a positive effect are readily achievable,” says lead author Syed Meeran, Ph.D., a research assistant professor in Tollefsbol’s UAB Department of Biology laboratory. 

For example, Meeran says sipping tea compounds called polyphenols in daily amounts that are equivalent to approximately three cups of green tea has been shown to reverse breast cancer in laboratory mice by suppressing the gene that triggers the disease. Similarly, a daily cup of broccoli sprouts, which has sulforaphane as an active compound, has been shown to reduce the risk of developing many cancers. 

“Our review article has drawn everything together from global studies, and the common theme is that compounds in the epigenetics diet foods can, at the very least, help us lead healthier lives and help our bodies prevent potentially debilitating diseases like breast cancer and Alzheimer’s,” Tollefsbol says.

More about this research can be found in an article published at UPI.com : Diet to Prevent Cancer, Alzheimer's

USDA Dietary Guidelines for 2010

The new 2010 guidelines for Americans to become healthier people was just released and can be read at the following link: Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 


The report is long, but is worth the read to note the information for various dietary options including vegetarian and vegan, alongside comparisons to other diet options like the Mediterranean Diet and the DASH eating plan. With a focus on individual application, there is plenty of information about food safety alongside food choices. However, as much of the report references the measuring and quantifying of foods it is likely that media interpretation will find ways to ignore the implications that reflect the importance of simply eating more plant-based foods and much less of packaged and processed foods.


With numerous charts and graphs, most continue to reflect foods that come from major industrial groups with the focus on fats from the dairy industry, whole grains from processed sources instead from the wheat industry and significant references for limiting sugar consumption while including conflicting references to juice, soda and alcohol. The positive addition of exercise as a nutritional activity is a plus, but the omission of consuming more unflavored, unsweetened, plain water is a concern.


The focus on "nutrient dense" foods is repeatedly mentioned and defined as: "All vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seafood, eggs, beans and peas, unsalted nuts and seeds, fat-free and low-fat milk and milk products, and lean meats and poultry—when prepared without adding solid fats or sugars—are nutrient-dense foods." This is a strong recommendation that should be set apart from the discussion of "guidelines" in order to keep from being sidetracked by calorie counting. These are the foods that the report states, "have positive health effects with relatively few calories." (See Key Terms to Know on p. 5)


A summary of dietary lifestyle choices can be found in Appendix 2 on pp. 63-68; very good ideas but making the application to individual needs may seem daunting. 


If Americans take the best of this report and begin to eat more whole, fresh and plant-based foods in their daily patterns of eating and drinking, significant health concerns will likely decrease. It may be that the children of this nation can regain true freedom and happiness learning to live a life based on the health of fruits and vegetables that are not processed into packages of a much lesser "nutrient dense" quality.

Choose You! Eat Right: Diet and Physical Activity: What's the Cancer Connection?

This is a good article from the American Cancer Society about healthy eating and benefits for reducing cancer risk. The American Cancer Society is launching a new campaign called "Choose You!" Check this article and the related links to find out more...

Choose You! Eat Right: Diet and Physical Activity: What's the Cancer Connection?

Eating Healthy for a Busy Life

The fast pace of life for many means that creating a nourishing meal is becoming a "lost art" and a cultural health crisis. Convenience and eating whole foods are not opposites! But, getting back into the kitchen to create healthy, yummy options is the number one barrier. Drive through, take-out, eating out, or microwaved meals all appear faster and... good enough for the moment. Take another look at what is lost by living and eating in a hurried life:

• relationship stress
• indigestion
• trouble sleeping
• irritability
• food no longer "tastes" good
• illnesses (more frequent or severe)
• expense
• increased cravings (sugar, salt, caffeine)
• weight gain

Is a meal away from home really faster? easier? better? healthier?

Cooking and eating healthy at home is simple, but you will need to begin at the grocery store; if it is not in your kitchen, you cannot possibly prepare it. Convenience at home includes the fresh food you keep on hand, simple recipes, and a few tools for cooking.

Tip #1: Buy ready-to-use, washed and chopped, fresh vegetables in the produce isle. Making a soup, salad or stir-fry is both quick and easy when the veggies are ready to cook. Using fresh, not frozen, adds amazing flavor, texture and more nutritional value.

Tip #2: Simple cooking is about using real food; if it looks like it grew on or in the ground or ocean then it is genuine food. If it comes in a package with a label that includes additives, preservatives or added nutritional elements then it is a compromised food to the body that needs to be limited as a food source.

Tip #3:  Menu variety in a meal is easier to achieve when you remember colors: include a minimum of one or more colorful vegetables or fruits, one or more green vegetable or leafy greens, one whole grain (brown rice, quinoa, oats, etc.), and protein from beans, nuts, fish or meat.

Tip #4: Success in making cooking at home easy and convenient is to remember the wisdom of "cook once, eat twice". Make more food than is needed for your meal to be able to use leftovers for your next meal. A large stir-fry of vegetables for dinner becomes lunch in the form of a sandwich wrap or add to broth to make a soup. Leftover rice becomes the base for a casserole, or reheat with a little water and combine with chopped, fresh parsley for a tasty side dish. When you put the effort and time into a larger meal, leftovers become the "fast" part of whole-food convenience.

Tip #5: Have a few useful tools on hand: measuring cups and spoons, a sharp knife, wooden cutting board (never glass, hard plastic or marble), stainless steel cookware (not non-stick), and mixing bowls.

Tip #6: Find an easy to use cookbook that keeps both ingredients and directions simple, and one that includes helpful information for buying and using whole foods. There are a couple that I recommend:

Food to Live By - Myra Goodman 
Great Food Fast - Martha Stewart Living

Enjoy feeding yourself and those you love with fresh, whole-food prepared at home... you will change your corner of the world with better health, energy and satisfaction. And you will probably save in the areas of time, money and unnecessary stress. Time invested in cooking at home is about loving your life and those who share the journey with you.