More than 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience a mood disorder at some point in their lives. If you suspect you may be suffering from any mental/mood disorder, seek professional help.
If you’re looking for practical tips to elevate your mood, Veronica — the “V” in Chef V — Wheat provides a daily guide for activating your feel-good chemicals.
At Chef V, we love Green Drink, in case you couldn’t tell.
But, as crazy as it might sound, some people are scared of the delicious green stuff. They mainly associated it with long-term juice cleanses.
However, you don’t have to be a detox juice cleanse master to enjoy fresh juice, regardless of what’s in it. There are plenty of ways to work some of that green drink into your everyday routine. You might even want to give a Chef V detox a try!
More than 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience a mood disorder from stress at some point in their lives. If you suspect you may be suffering from any mental/mood disorder, seek professional help. If you’re looking for practical tips to elevate your mood, Veronica — the “V” in Chef V has some to offer.
When it comes to natural ways to boost mood, I have a bone to pick with Johns Hopkins University. JHU is one of the most preeminent higher educational institutions in the country, a de-facto Ivy League school on par with Stanford and MIT. But when I did a Google search for “boosting your mood,” this ridiculously short and worthless article of only 4 paragraphs was the second-highest-ranked.
I wasn’t looking for advice that reads like a doctoral thesis. But considering millions of people are in desperate need of a mood makeover, JHU’s article reads more like a third-grade book report. Pathetic.
So instead of relying on the so-called experts, I decided to draw upon my real-world experiences. The following are 12 things that I do every day to support my mood. And they work like magic. I’m not saying that every day I feel like a unicorn who poops 24-karat gold. But on way more days than not, my mood is stable and elevated.
Tip #1: Wake Up Early & See The Light
If you like to sleep in and you’re thinking, ain’t no way I’m getting up before 8 — and just because I have to for work — just hear me out. Here are 5 reasons why waking up around sunrise will boost your mood:
Circadian Rhythm Reset
First of all, waking up at first light is like superfood for your circadian rhythm. It finetunes your body’s internal natural light-dark cycle and promotes a more harmonious sleep-wake pattern.
Melatonin Regulation
Not only should you wake up at dawn or by sunrise, I want you to look outside your window. If you have a panoramic view, all the better. You see, when you wake up early and are exposed to sunlight and a broad, sweeping vista, your body receives a signal to decrease melatonin production. Your brain gets the signal to wake up and be alert but with a calmness-inducing, mood-enhancing effect.
Vitamin D Synthesis
Vitamin D isn’t just for bone health, it’s also helpful for mood. So before you start scaring at your screen all day for work, get outside and expose your eyes and skin to the sun to synthesize vitamin D.
Serotonin Production
Getting outside and enjoying the early morning sun increases your serotonin levels, a feel-good chemical. Low levels of serotonin are linked with depression and other mood disorders.
Sets You Up For A Successful Day
Rolling out of bed when it’s the last thing you wanna do sucks. But eventually, you’ll learn to love the routine of waking up with dawn’s early light. It establishes a routine that makes you feel good for the rest of the day—unless you’re hungover, which you should never be if you want to boost your mood.
After I wake up early and expose my eyes to a panoramic view with sunlight (even if it’s a cloudy day), the next thing I do is meditate or do some deep breathing exercises. If meditation is too weird or difficult for you, you don’t have to sit with your eyes closed for long with your mind free of thoughts (that’s not the point of meditation, plus it’s impossible). Just staring out your window for a few minutes is meditative. But if you only have time for meditation or deep breathing, I’d pick deep breathing because almost anybody can do it and instead of trying not to think, your mind is simply focused on breathing. I like this Wim-Hof dialogue-free guided video. The journal Neurological Sciences says “deep breathing can induce an effective improvement in mood and stress.”
I realize that asking you to do the following 3 things before you have coffee is a big ask: 1) wake up early and stare out your window; 2) meditate or do deep breathing exercises, and 3) do a total-body exercise routine. Especially if you have a busy day. But keep in mind that when you wake up with the roosters, you’ll have plenty more time to do most, if not all, of these natural mood-enhancing activities.
So before you start your work day, squeeze in a 30-minute walk or other exercise routine like yoga. Bonus if you can exercise outdoors. Going for a walk in a fasted state (before you eat) is not only good for your mood but also for your metabolism.
OK, one more thing to do before it’s time to break your fast and that’s journaling for 10 minutes. Whatever’s on your mind, anything that you are anxious about, write it down on paper. You can even rip the paper up at the end of the day. Doesn’t matter. The most important thing is that you’re easing the anxiety triggers by putting pen to paper. It’s proven to be therapeutic. I prefer to journal in the morning because if I wait until nighttime, I’ll be too tired.
You don’t have to be a certified nutritional therapist like me to know that having donuts or cereal for breakfast: not healthy. Sure, devouring a maple frosted will give you a shot of dopamine. But this false sense of happiness is short-lived. Instead of a standard American breakfast, break your fast with green, leafy veggies. I’m not suggesting making a huge salad. There’s a far easier way to get your daily dose of green, leafies: drink them fresh, delivered to your home!
9 out of 10 Americans don’t consume enough veggies. Having an Organic Green Drink first thing in the morning kills 2 birds with one delicious bottle. It hydrates and gently detoxes your system and is proven to support mental health.
Relatively few people have an extreme case of protein deficiency. But many people aren’t getting an optimum amount of protein in their diet. And most people who are eating a lot of protein are eating the wrong kind: factory-farmed meat.
As Mental Health Connecticut beautifully explains it:
“The foods you eat impact the structure and function of your brain, playing a major role in emotional regulation and cognitive function. Foods rich in protein contain amino acids to help produce key neurotransmitters in preventing and treating depression and anxiety.”
And unlike carbs and dietary fat, we need to eat protein every single day because our body does not do a good job of storing it.
So about 30 minutes after having a 16-ounce serving of Organic Green Drink, I’ll make a protein-rich smoothie with an easy-to-digest vegan protein like brown rice or pea powder. I add some dietary fat like sunflower seed butter and avocado to fill me up and keep me satisfied until it’s time for my first true meal of the day a few hours later…
By now, you’re feeling great and you’re brain is firing on all cylinders. You’re doing great work but now you’re tummy is rumbling. It’s time to eat a real meal, not a liquid lunch. Now here’s where many people go wrong. Instead of eating a big meal, they just have a sandwich or a salad. It’s quick and filling enough but not bloating.
The problem with soup, a sandwich and a salad is that a couple of hours later, you’re hungry again and your energy crashes. You didn’t eat enough!
That’s why I recommend eating a large lunch that consists of these 4 things:
Research shows that not getting enough of these ingredients, common in the Mediterranean Diet, may help prevent depression. Plus, when you eat an entree-sized portion of these ingredients, you’ll be satisfied, leading to a more stable mood for the afternoon. (You may not even need a cup of coffee in the afternoon.)
Don’t stuff your face at lunch. Make sure you have room for a tiny portion of dessert. A healthy dessert of course. Have a couple of handfuls of berries and a couple of small pieces of dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa). Dark chocolate contains several compounds that boost mood.
Chef V's cheesecake recipe is delicious and healthy in small portions. Get it and all her dessert recipes here.
No joke … walking for just 2 minutes after dinner lowers your blood sugar levels. But what does blood glucose management or diabetes prevention have to do with boosting your mood? Research shows that high blood sugar levels have been shown to “closely mirror mental health symptoms, such as irritability, anxiety, and worry.” This should come as no surprise, says the University of Michigan School for Public Health, as the brain runs primarily on glucose.
Whether it’s with a significant other or pet, cuddle up with a loved one. Even brief cuddle sessions have been shown to boost well-being. Don’t have a loved one, bipedal or furry? There are other ways to raise your oxytocin levels, the so-called cuddle hormone. Lie down, place one hand on your heart, the other on your belly and take several deep, slow breaths.
Finally, before you go to sleep (hopefully by no later than 11 p.m.), take 5 minutes to recite self-affirmations. (Here’s a simple one I like: “I am happy, healthy and wealthy.”) There are many free videos and apps you can follow. The Association for Psychological Science says, “Self-affirmation has been shown to have powerful effects … it can minimize anxiety, stress, and defensiveness.”
The ChefV.com 21-DAY DETOX was recently the subject of a clinical trial by Citrus Labs. The 38 participants who completed the 21-DAY DETOX followed by a 7-day continuation of a GREEN DRINK plan reported a significant improvement in mood and several other wellness markers.
Experience a mood-boosting transformation with organic green drinks, vegan protein shakes, detox soups and healthy meals. Learn more here.
Here’s to a happier, healthier you!
Love,
Veronica “V” Wheat
ChefV.com founder
Warning: stay away from me today. I got a late start to the day, skipped my daily morning yoga routine and didn’t have my Green Drink as early as I usually do. I’m having one of those days. Yes, dear hubby, Brandon, I still love you but watch out. Don’t get too close. I may bite!
Apparently, I’m not the only one who feels off when skipping a wellness routine. A green drink a day can support your mood. My long-time, trusted graphic designer, Jean, the one responsible for making the Chef V newsletter look like a fancy glossy magazine, told me she feels “down in the dumps” if she goes a couple days in a row without having her Green Drink.
Well, Jean, that’s exactly why I created my Green Drink Plan, to ensure you’ll never run out! But I get it, even if you get GD delivered to your home, life can get intense and overwhelming and you can just forget the things that help you live a high-vibration life. It happens, we’re only human.
And Jean’s certainly not the only customer that feels off when skipping GD for a few days. But what is it about the 7 green leafy veggies that after you drink it, makes you feel like you’re going to conquer the day? Do the greens serve as a catalyst for cellular energy?
No doubt that leafy greens are beneficial for cellular health and energy. But there’s also research that shows these highly-nutrient dense ingredients support a healthy mood.
Green Leafy Veggies For Mood
According to World Journal of Psychiatry, 12 nutrients are critical to the prevention and treatment of depressive orders: Folate, iron, omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), magnesium, potassium, selenium, thiamine, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, and zinc.
The highest scoring plant foods (those with the most of the dozen nutrients) are leafy greens and cruciferous veggies. Lettuce and peppers also made the list.
Co-authors of the World Journal of Psychiatry study analyzed several foods for “Antidepressant nutritional density.” The results were tabulated in a scoring system called the “Antidepressant Food Score” or AFS.
“The AFS is based on a nutrient profiling system devised to identify foods with the highest nutrient density of nutrients with clinical evidence to support their role in depressive disorders,” the researchers explained in the article.
Could it be that the reason many customers feel like they’re on their A-game when they make Green Drink part of their daily routine is that the 7 ingredients are at the top of the AFS scoring system?
That’s food for thought. Er, drink for thought…
Lettuces like green leaf lettuce, an ingredient in Organic Green Drink, has an AFS score of 74% to 99%.
Green chard, another staple of GD, scores 90%. Parsley: 75%. Kale and collard greens score 62% and dandelion greens 43%.
Now that’s not to say that 43% is a low score. Remember, all these ingredients in Green Drink rank at the top of the list for the best foods on the planet for supporting positivity. Evidence that a green drink a day can support your mood.
“The nutrients considered have been shown in human studies to be beneficial with regards to treatment or prevention of depressive disorders,” concluded the researchers.
Are You Eating (Or Drinking) Enough Veggies?
Unfortunately, many foods with a high AFS are not staples of the Standard American Diet. Most adults in the U.S. don’t meet the daily recommendations for vegetables. In fact, The Healthy People Initiative, launched by the Federal Government’s Department of Health and Human Services found that only 27.2 percent of adults ate three or more servings of vegetables per day.
I get it. Life’s busy. And that’s why I created the Green Drink Plan so you can easily consume 7 leafy green veggies that are some of the best plant foods on the planet for supporting mental health.
Here’s to feeling good!
Detoxes aren’t just for resetting your digestive system after having too many In-N-Out burgers and margaritas. If you’re feeling a little insane in the membrane (like me with a pineapple on my head in the photo below), taking a social media break can be just what the mental health doctor ordered. Plus, Veronica Wheat, aka Chef V, has some tips to make social media, well, social and positive again…
We’ve all experienced it.
Checking our social media feed, we come across one post that for whatever reason stirs up feelings of inadequacy, jealousy, and even loneliness. Which is crazy because it’s called social media.
Maybe a friend from high school posted pics from an epic family vacation, staying at a 5-star resort. And meanwhile, you’ve been working your butt off and haven’t taken a vacation in years, let alone a glamorous one like your peers. Or maybe you come across a post where a bunch of your friends are out on the town seemingly having a blast but you didn’t get invited.
Whatever the reason, there’s no denying the fact that social media fuels anxiety and depression. A lot of research has been done over the past few years that concludes that social media can stir up some toxic sh!t in us. And just like we need to do a dietary DETOX from time to time, it’s a good idea for us to take a break from social media every once in a while. And rather than being on social media to keep up with the Kardashians, we can actually use it for good. I’ll share some ideas about how to do just that so keep reading…
Why We Use Social Media
If much of the news about social media is focusing on its bad effects on our mental health, then why do we continue scrolling? Why do we insist upon making ourselves feel potentially worse when we compare ourselves to other people? The simple answer is that we are social creatures and so social media, perhaps falsely, has led us to believe that connecting with our peer network has positive effects. But the paradox is that for many people, social media is an oxymoron, fueling even more disconnectedness.
Another reason 7 out of 10 adults and 8 out of 10 teens use social media is that social media is addictive. To our brains, social media is no different than a gambler chasing a jackpot. Or a sad person drowning their sorrows in a pint of ice cream. Or a dope fiend hitting the crack pipe.
When we scroll through our feeds, it feeds us a hit of dopamine. That’s the feel-good chemical that lights up the synapses in our brain’s reward center. The problem is that some people need more and more and more dopamine to stimulate this reward center.
Like a casino pumping fresh oxygen into the room and fueling gamblers with free coffee so they never get tired, social media platforms are designed to keep us coming back.
But why is that?
If we feel jealous or insecure about seeing certain posts, why do we keep coming back for more punishment? Where is the reward in that? Well, we just never know when the next hilarious cat video will tickle our fancy. The point is that one session of social media scrolling is never the same as the next. Sure, there may always be foodie and vacation pics.
But the experience is always different. And that’s what keeps us coming back for more.
Do You Like Likes?
Despite the potential harm to mental health, some people use social media because they want to feel validated. They need people to acknowledge their accomplishments (or vacation and foodie pics).
Although some platforms have removed likes (Instagram replaced likes with a heart emoji), that action does nothing to prevent comparing yourself to other people. And that includes comparing the number of, if not likes, then heart emojis your post received versus somebody else's.
It’s all silly, really, the folly and whims of human nature. And the people who design social media platforms are Dr. Evil’s when it comes to exploiting human psychology.
At the end of the day, we can’t help checking our feed to see if our post got any other likes (or hearts). This is part of the vicious cycle of chasing another hit of dopamine. And the first step to taking a social media detox is to realize you have a problem in the first place.
Got Social Media FOMO?
Another reason it’s hard for some of us to stop checking our feed—even though we know that it may fuel anxiety or other negative emotions—is because of FOMO. We have a fear of missing out on seeing a photo from high school that half your graduating class has commented on. What if you miss out on that one? It stirs up feelings of being excluded from certain activities when we were kids or being picked last.
Should You Detox From Social Media?
Look, if you know in your heart of hearts that scrolling is robbing you blind of joy then maybe it’s a good idea to take a break. Just like a Chef V CLEANSE has 1, 3 or 5 days options, you can start by dipping a pinkie toe in the deep end. Go one day without being on social media. See how that feels.
If you really want to feel lighter mentally, then I recommend going longer. Don’t let FOMO trip you up. You’ll be fine not looking at all your friends’ baby pics. You’ll come out of the experience with greater awareness of what’s really important to you. And, you’ll discover what truly makes you feel connected to spirit.
Make Social Media Social Again
If you decide to stay on social media, set some boundaries. Don’t check your feed an hour before bed or first thing in the morning. Instead, establish a spiritual practice and stick to it. Do 10 minutes of yoga or meditation morning and night instead of scrolling.
You can make social media social by inviting friends to join you for a yoga session in the park. Instead of following friends from high school that bring up feelings of inadequacy, follow thought leaders in the spiritual movement like Deepak Chopra. Organize a mini-meditation session with your “true friends” on social. Encourage everybody to comment about how they feel after meditating.
The bottom line is that if you’re going to check your feed for posts, it might as well feed your spirit. Follow others who you find to be inspiring, enlightening, and a positive for your mental health.
The truth is that rates of stress, anxiety and depression are up for reasons other than social media. But numerous studies suggest social media is fanning the flames of mental disharmony. Instead of chasing dopamine rewards by constantly checking your feed, spend more time in nature. Do more yoga. Meditate more. This is what will fuel your spirit.
Your Body Has An Internal Bliss Chemical, Anandamide. Here’s How To Activate It…
How do you bliss out?
Yoga retreat (can’t wait to do one of those again!)? Essential oil bath? A day at a spa? Meditation?
All these external, get-your-Zen-on rituals are fantastic for stress-management.
But I bet you didn’t know that deep within your body’s miraculous inner-workings is a neurotransmitter that when activated, can help you feel more joyous. And the best part about it is you don’t need to spend hundreds of bucks on a yoga retreat to activate this chemical.
The catch is that anandamide, the bliss chemical I’m talking about, needs to be activated over and over again. It’s effects are very short-lived. But in a little bit, I’ve got some great tips for you on how to frequently stay stoked.
Anandamide: A Molecular Mirror of Marijuana
First, though, a little background on this bliss chemical. If you’re wondering why you never learned about it in high school chemistry, there’s a couple good reasons. For starters, anandamide wasn’t discovered until 1992.
And second, researchers discovered it is because they were studying how THC—the chemical in marijuana that makes users feel high—interacts with certain receptors in the brain. That’s not something a high school chemistry curriculum covers.
In 1988, specific THC receptors in the brain were discovered. A few years later, anandamide was singled out as the molecule that most closely resembles the molecular structure of THC.
Anandamide is Sanskrit (the ancient language of India) for “extreme joy” or “bliss”. The molecule plays a role in memory, pain, depression, appetite and even fertility.
So … am I getting at that the best way to stimulate anandamide and feel ecstatic bliss is by getting high?
It’s quite the opposite actually. Research shows that too much anandamide stimulation induces forgetfulness. That’s why if you smoke pot, you may forget where you’ve put your keys. Although similar in molecular structure to THC, whatever joy one feels from anandamide is very short lived, unlike pot, which can make you feel high for hours. Anandamide breaks down very rapidly.
The trick to feeling steady joy throughout the day, then, is not by getting high off the wacky weed…
Feel Normal By Activating The Endocannabinoid System
One way to activate anandamide is by using the second most common chemical compound in cannabis sativa: CBD. CBD doesn’t get you high like THC. CBD comes from industrial hemp and marijuana. It’s legal in all 50 states as long as it comes from hemp and contains less than 0.3% THC.
CBD works by indirectly activating two types of receptors—CB1 and CB2—in the endocannabinoid system (the ECS). The ECS is definitely something that should be taught in high school chemistry. Consisting of receptors all over the body, the ECS is like your body’s internal health spa. Anandamide stimulates the ECS, and in doing so, promotes a state of homeostasis.
If there’s anything in life that you should wish for, it’s homeostasis. Homeostasis is a perfect state of balance. All body systems are functioning as they should. Mood, appetite, detoxification, digestion, immunity are normal. Everything is peachy keen when the body achieves homeostasis.
But CBD alone isn’t the answer to activating anandamide and feeling great. First of all, many CBD products, because they are not regulated and new to the market, are garbage. I highly recommend CBD but only if it’s full-spectrum CBD oil grown organically and sold by a company that prominently shows on its website 3rd-party- verified lab results for every batch it sells. This way, purity is guaranteed.
Best Foods For Bliss
There’s a good reason why eating certain meals or individual foods makes you feel happy. Eating ice cream or a donut elicits a feeling of guilty pleasure. But one reason why the pleasure is short-lived is because, as mentioned above, the effects of anandamide quickly wear off. After anandamide binds to its receptor, the molecule quickly dies.
Certain foods, however, can activate anandamide in just the right amount. And in doing so, the ECS is better able to promote homeostasis. (Remember: anandamide is a chemical in your body that activates receptors in the ECS.)
Jump for Joy with Organic Green Drink
And wouldn’t you know it, in researching this topic, I’ve discovered yet another selling point for my Organic Green Drink. It turns out that certain cruciferous green veggies such as kale (one of the 7 veggies in my Green Drink recipe; actually there are 2 types of kales!) are rich in a compound contained in sulfur called sulforaphane. Sulforaphane interacts with the ECS and prevents the breakdown of anandamide.
There’s a lot of times I get up in the morning, feeling a bit on the groggy side even if I got plenty of sleep the night before. Then, after drinking some water and then having some Green Drink, I feel great … back to normal! After reading about this fascinating bliss chemical, I wonder if that blissed-out feeling I get after having my daily morning Green Drink is because of anandamide activation?
The key to promoting balance in your body is to keep fueling your cells with high-nutrient density foods that prevent anandamide breakdown. Using essential oils (especially citrus, eucalyptus and lavender) also stimulate the body’s internal cannabinoid receptors. So on that note, off I go to take a nice relaxing bath…
During the Heat of Summer…
If you feel like holing up in an air conditioned house and having a summer hibernation, I don’t blame you. But it’s so important to stay active and healthy and I’ve got some easy, fun tips to do it! Stay fit and happy with my 5 easy tips.
It’s 5:30 p.m. It’s 104 degrees. All you feel like doing is plopping down on the couch and vegging out in front of a fan for a few hours. If that’s what you’re feeling, should you give in? After all, aren’t you supposed to listen to your body? And if your body is telling you that you should turn up the AC, grab a few of your favorite snacks, a glass of wine and the remote … well … what's wrong with that?
There’s certainly nothing wrong with chillaxing—from time to time. But if that’s how you’re gonna roll all summer that’s not going to be good for your mental or physical health.
So next time you’re feeling the heat, follow these tips to stay healthy and reduce stress:
Stay Positive & Healthy This Tip #1: Meditate In Bed
This may not come as a shock but it’s important to state: In general, people who meditate on a regular basis are happier, calmer, and better able to attract what they want in life. There’s lots of research to support this—at least the part about people who meditate being more positive and calmer.
The problem with meditation is that for people who have never tried it, it seems intimidating. But learning anything new is challenging. Beyond that, though, another problem with meditation is that many people assume that you have to sit completely still in the lotus position like a Buddhist monk, with your legs twisted into a pretzel. But that’s not the case at all…
I recommend starting each day meditating before you get out of bed, lying flat on your back. So how do you meditate? It’s simple. Listen to a meditation app. Try a guided meditation, which will tell you exactly when to breathe in and breathe out. Or, if you’d rather just listen to soothing meditative music, with Tibetan singing bowls or other ethereal sonic blissed out sounds, there’s no shortage of YouTube videos or smartphone apps for that.
Start each morning with a 10-minute meditation before you get out of bed. It will really set the stage for an awesome rest of your day.
Tip #2: 5 Minute Yoga Routine
After you’re done with your meditation routine (and your potty routine), despite how tired you are, force yourself to do a 5-minute yoga routine.
During the heat of summer, the hours between dawn and breakfast are your best time for activity. Before you start your meditation practice in bed, open up the house and let in the cool early morning air. If it's cool enough, try getting outside. If not, the room where you do yoga should be at its coolest this time of day. If you’re not sure which 5-minute yoga routine to do or how to do yoga at all, there’s a ton of intro yoga videos, many of them free.
I recommend doing a flow that keeps your body moving, from cat/cow to downward/upward dog or sun salutations. After just 5 minutes of a continuous flow yoga practice, you’ll feel like a new person, totally energized, in good spirits and ready to take on the day’s challenges. Try my easy yoga pose routine to stress less, feel better.
Tip #3: Seasonal Snacking
Let’s fast forward to the evening hours when there’s no kids around, all your work and errands are done and it’s tempting to get your Netflix on and snack away. This is the most challenging part of the day. Because even if you were successful at incorporating meditation and a mini yoga session or two (or other activity), succumbing to late-night snacking can sabotage all your healthy habits from earlier in the day.
And just like meditation is associated with a more positive attitude, snacking is more associated with depression.
So what can you do when it’s 9:00 at night and it’s time to watch a few episodes of your favorite show? Personally, I try to stop eating and drinking anything with calories by 8:00—unless I’m going out to dinner. Studies on the health impacts of late-night eating are conflicting.
If you have type I diabetes, it may be essential to have a late-night snack to prevent dangerous blood-sugar drops. If you want to manage blood sugar levels and don’t have type I diabetes, however, eating late at night has been shown to contribute to metabolic diseases like obesity and type 2 diabetes.
But other studies suggest that having a small meal before bed does not appear to be harmful—especially if you exercise on a regular basis.
I realize that not everybody can resist the temptation to eat something. So if you are going to eat while watching TV on the couch late at night, eat a healthy, delicious mini-meal.
My favorite healthy mini-meals are seasonal with some healthy fats and spices.
I’m not going to demonize late-night snacking. The temptation is much too great. But do try your best to avoid all snacks with white flour and wheat flour (even 100% wheat). These common flours get metabolized too quickly. That means they turn into sugar and get stored by the liver as extra body fat.
But the healthy mini-meal snacks above metabolize slowly and may even help to keep blood sugar levels within a normal, healthy range.
Tip #4: Read
When’s the last time you read a good book? Many people go all day and all night staring at screens, hardly, if ever looking at printed pages, with the exception maybe of a restaurant menu.
Reading actual books keeps your mind sharp. And when you get in bed, opening a book gets your mind and body ready for restful sleep. Sorry, reading on a tablet isn’t the same. In fact, studies show that the blue light emanating from tablets at night lowers sleep quality.
“The use of commercially-available tablets may have consequences in terms of alertness, circadian physiology, and sleep,” the researchers concluded. Reading books has several health benefits, including keeping your mind sharp, reducing depressive symptoms, lowering blood pressure and heart rate.
So crack open a book and get reading. If you fall asleep after reading just one page, so be it. Let reading be your best sleeping pill.
Tip #5: Eat Before You Party
When I’m invited to a party, I never know what kind of food will be served. Will it be pigs in a blanket, deli finger sandwiches and chips and dip? Most of the time, you get what you pay for, and if the food is free, it’s going to be low quality. So what I do is I have a little Organic Green Drink and then a little later, about an hour or two before the holiday party starts, I’ll eat a full healthy meal. That way, I won’t fill my belly with empty carbs and veggies that have likely been sprayed with pesticides.
I’ll still indulge a little bit because I’m only human and when in Rome, ya know…
Hopefully, following these tips will keep you more positive and healthier this summer.
Cheers, Chef V
Yoga is so good for you on so many different levels. It is one of the safest types of exercise you can suggest to family, and even the most out of shape friend can gently find a path to better health. It is especially good for kids, helping them with stress and sharing a relaxing time with Mom.
Whether you practice yoga everyday or as a beginner, I’ve selected some poses for a healthy and fun family practice with Mom and the kids.
DOWNWARD DOG
Place your hands on the ground, shoulder width apart, and stretch your feet out behind you about 3 feet apart from one another with your hips high in the air. You should look like an upside down letter “V.” Because your heart is higher than your head, this pose causes blood to flow to your brain, which calms the nervous system, improves memory, enhances concentration and relieves stress. Downward Dog also gently tones your abdomen, which stimulates digestion.
UPWARD DOG
Place your hands on the ground alongside your body, next to your lower ribs. Inhale and press your hands firmly into the floor. Straighten your arms, lifting your torso and your legs a few inches off the floor. Hold for five slow breathes.
Upward dog stretches the chest and spine, strengthening wrists, arms and shoulders. It stimulated the abdominal organs and improves digestion. It firms the buttocks and thighs, helping to relieve sciatica. It energizes and rejuvenates, relieving fatigue and depression.
THREE LEGGED DOWNWARD DOG
Place your hands on the ground, shoulder width apart, and stretch your
feet out behind you about 3 feet apart from one another with your hips
high in the air. You should look like an upside down letter “V.” Lift one leg as your opposite leg stays on the mat. Straighten your arms and press your shoulders back. Move your elbows forward and push your chest closer to your feet. Keep your hands, arms, shoulders and hips in a line. Three legged downward dog has the same health advantages as downward dog, adding a leg stretching element for encouraging length in your spine and increases hip joint flexibility.
TREE POSE (VIRKSASANA)
Start by focusing the balance on the left foot. Lifting the right foot to the ankle, calf, above the knee or in lotus position (inside the hip joint), bring your arms to prayer position in front of your heart center. Straighten the back, tuck in the pelvis and breathe.
On an inhale, extend your arms over head into any hand mudra you desire; pinky to thumb, thumb to index finger or thumb to middle finger. Hold here for 5-10 inhale and exhale breaths.
PRAYER TWIST
Stand with your feet about 3-4 feet apart. Look toward your right leg as you turn your torso and your hips towards your right leg.
Bend your right knee at a 90 degree angle, keeping your left leg straight so that you are in a low lunge. Bring your hands to prayer position in front of you.
Inhale and on an exhale, twist to your right, bringing your left elbow over your right knee. Look up and make sure your elbows are facing in opposite directions with your right elbow facing up at 12 o’clock and left facing down at 6 o’clock.
Hold this pose for 5-10 inhales and exhales. Slowly release, coming back to center. Repeat on the other side.
Look toward your left side, bend your left knee at a 90 degree angle and move into a lunge by keeping your right leg straight. Inhale and exhale to twist to the left, hooking your right elbow over your left knee. Breathe for 5-10 inhales and exhales.
The twisting of the torso in this move applies pressure to your muscles, increasing toning and detoxifying powers. Fresh oxygen rushes to the area once the twist is released, which helps flush toxins within the body and improve digestion. This pose is great for balance, energy and confidence – plus, it tones your legs, hips and butt.
SUPINE SPINAL TWIST
Lay on the ground with your legs stretched out in front of you. Bend your right knee, bringing it close to your chest.
Take your left hand and slowly guide your (bent) right leg over to the left side of your body. Look right and breathe 5-10 inhales and exhales.
Slowly come back to center with both legs stretched out on the ground. Reverse on the other side by bending your left knee toward your chest.
With your right hand, gently guide your left leg over to your right. This time, look to the left and breathe for another set of 5-10 inhales and exhales. This spinal twist will help to release lower back tension, open tight shoulders, improve digestion and elongate spinal muscles.
Don’t worry if it doesn’t come easy at first. Like all things, yoga takes time and practice to get right, but you will start feeling the detoxifying benefits right away. Just start with slow and steady breaths and the rest will follow!
