A Healthy Mindset
Pictured are my meals for the day. Breakfast: Granola with almonds, cinnamon and apples. Lunch: Soup and Salad: Home-made chicken bone broth and Avocado, Sun-dried tomatoes, Baby Lettuce with home-made Red Wine Vinegar Dressing and Dinner: Zucchini "Noodles" & Tomato with Pesto
Anyone who knows me well enough knows I can go to extremes. Really, it’s true… Especially when it comes to nutrition and a healthy-eating lifestyle. I wasn’t always this way. I remember our younger days when Tim and I would go for our late-night snack at McDonald’s. Crazy, huh?
People are always asking me what I’m eating. It’s really rather humorous. They can’t believe the things I try! Our group is always asking what is in whatever dish I’ve brought for dinner night. I’ve definitely put them all through my trial and testing of odd dishes so much so that no one trusts me anymore!
As I’m approaching the big one (50, wow!) I’ve taken stock of how I’d like to live for another 30 years (God-willing!). You can read anywhere how food contributes to much of America’s obesity rate and all the contributing factors leading to illness.
Soon after having our daughter 20 years ago, I realized that I needed to step up my health game. I threw myself into becoming a vegetarian. Now, for all it’s pros and cons, it definitely made me feel great and I was the smallest size I’d ever been while following it. But alas, I knew deep down I was what I like to call a “meat-atarian”. I couldn’t live without delicious meat! I added it back into my diet but in smaller quantities.
Living in NYC is stressful. We’re always on the go. We don’t know what relax means. Combine that with improper nutrition and lack of sleep...it’s a sure-fire way of leading to illness. This fast-paced lifestyle takes a toll. I find it extremely difficult to make sure I’m getting the proper vitamins within my diet. If you’re anything like me, prone to getting sick or feel sluggish all the time, it may be a good idea to look at whether or not you are vitamin deficient. Recently, routine blood work showed I was very low in vitamin D and calcium. Getting checked out regularly will show you when supplements are needed.
I’ve found eating a healthy diet of proteins, low carbs and lots of fruit and veggies is an important place to start. Eliminating sugar and processed foods may be difficult but worth the effort. Getting on a healthy pattern or regimen is key. It’s not always possible but my husband and I try to limit eating out to 1 meal a week together for lunch. I schedule time to organize and meal-plan. Then, I grocery shop for the rest of the week. It’s hard to maintain a schedule but that is half the battle when it comes to being prepared to have healthy meals ready-to-go.
Periodic fasting has also helped boost metabolism and immune system function. Once or twice a year we do what is called a “Daniel Fast”. Google it, it’s worth it. It’s basically fruit, veggies, brown rice, legumes, etc. It even helps with what I call “Foggy Brain”. When we’re feeling sluggish, it really brings mental clarity.
If you want to stay at optimal level, getting the essential vitamins your body needs is important.
8 Essential Vitamins for Women
Calcium. Lacking it leads to fragile bones as you age.
Biotin. Also known as Vitamin H, its one of the B complex vitamins that help the body convert food into energy. Also good for nails, hair and skin.
Vitamin D. If you’re not in the sun, supplement it.
Folate. DNA synthesis and mood stabilizer.
Iron. Fights anemia and sluggishness.
Vitamin C. Antioxidants, fight infection and chronic disease.
Iodine. Regulates metabolism.
Magnesium. Fights heart disease and diabetes.
You are able to get many of these vitamins from diet but if you aren’t eating well, then getting a Multi-Vitamin is important. See below for my top pic right now: Ritual for Women.