Recipe of the Week - Oven Fried Chicken

This oven “fried” chicken is extra crispy from a secret ingredient – bran flakes! It’s moist yet still light since little oil is used. You can also make it in the air fryer!

INGREDIENTS

• 6 large bone-in drumsticks, skin removed

• 2 1/2 cups bran flakes, (use gluten-free corn flakes for GF)

• 3 tsp kosher salt, less if you are using regular salt

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp paprika

• 1/2 tsp fresh black pepper

• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

• 5 tbsp Hellman's light mayonnaise

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• Oil spray

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 400F.

• Line a baking sheet with foil and set a rack above. Spray rack with oil.

• Crush cereal in a food processor or chopper.

• In a bowl mix crushed cereal with salt, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper.

• Place in a shallow dish or ziplock bag.

• Combine mayonnaise and Dijon mustard.

• Using a cooking brush, brush onto chicken then coat chicken with crushed cereal mixture.

• Place chicken on wire rack and spray with oil. Bake 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through in the center and reaches an internal temp of 165F.

Air Fryer Fried Chicken Directions:

• Spray the tops of the chicken with oil and air fry 370F 22 to 24 minutes, turning the chicken halfway and spraying the top again, until the crumbs are golden and the chicken is cooked through.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1 Drumstick

• Calories: 158

• Carbohydrates: 15g

• Protein: 14.5g

• Fat: 5g

• Saturated Fat: 1g

• Cholesterol: 48mg

• Sodium: 835mg

• Fiber: 3.1g

• Sugar: 3.5g

Changing Diets are Making More Americans Anemic

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 4, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Growing numbers of Americans aren't getting enough iron in their diets most likely due to changes in farming practices and a shift away from red meat, researchers report.

The upshot: Rates of iron-deficiency anemia are on the rise.

"Iron deficiency remains a major public health issue even in a developed country such as the United States," Dr. Ian Griffin and Dr. Marta Rogido wrote in an editorial published along with the new research. They practice at Biomedical Research of New Jersey in Cedar Knolls.

Iron helps make hemoglobin, a component of red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Anemia results from a drop in red blood cells. It can cause fatigue, pale skin, dizziness and/or weakness, and can lead to other health problems, including heart failure, if left untreated, according to the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

For this study, researchers used three large government databases to track trends in anemia rates; the amount of iron found in U.S. food products; and deaths from iron-deficiency anemia between 1999 and 2018.
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Recipe of the Week - Quick and Easy Garden Tomato Sauce

In the summer, there's nothing better than homemade, fresh garden tomato sauce – perfect for your favorite pasta dish!

INGREDIENTS

• 8 cups (5 lbs) peeled, seeded and diced plum tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 4 cloves garlic, chopped

• pinch crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

• black pepper, to taste

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

INSTRUCTIONS

• To peel the tomatoes, bring a large pot of water to boil.

• Slice an X on the bottom of each tomato.

• When boiling, drop the tomatoes in the water to blanch 1 to 2 minutes, or until the skin cracks.

• Quickly remove from the water and let them cool a few minutes until they are cool enough to handle, the skin will come right off.

• Dice the tomatoes fine.

• Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. When hot add the garlic and saute until golden brown.

• Add red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Partially cover and cook low heat 25 minutes.

• Add the basil and remove from heat. I like it chunky, if you like it smooth, you can puree part of the sauce after. Serve over your favorite pasta.

• *Makes 6 Cups*

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1/2 Cup

• Calories: 61

• Carbohydrates: 9g

• Protein: 1.5g

• Fat: 3g

• Saturated Fat: 0.5g

• Sodium: 157mg

• Fiber: 2g

Is Perfectionism Ruining Your Health?

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By: Erin Power

If you’re wondering if you’re a perfectionist, I’d say there’s a good chance you are. Or at least have perfectionist tendencies. I know I do. After all, who doesn’t want to be perfect? Who doesn’t want to be the one who gets the gold stars, the big wins, and the admiration?

Perfectionism is one of those traits people typically see as a positive, but underneath it is often self-defeating thoughts and emotions, low self-esteem, stress, and chronic anxiety, which actually make it harder to achieve your goals. And, if I’m being honest here, it makes it harder to function in general.

As a health coach, I see this all the time, and I know what it feels like. The procrastination, the all-or-nothing thinking, the unrealistic standards. My clients get so wrapped up in trying to “get it right,” that it defeats the whole purpose of working with someone to get their health on track in the first place.

What is Perfectionism Anyway?

Psychologists describe perfectionism as the tendency to demand an extremely high or even flawless level of performance (from yourself or others) — significantly more than what’s required from the situation. It’s the unhealthy belief that anything less than perfect is unacceptable. No pressure, right?

It’s a combo of excessively high personal standards and overly critical self-evaluations. And it sets you up for feeling shame, judgement, and blame, which then leads to more of those debilitating, self-defeating thoughts.

Being motivated is great. But there’s a big difference between healthy motivation and aiming for perfection. Healthy motivation looks like self-focus, self-compassion, and having a growth mindset, while perfection is more about people-pleasing, fear, and control.

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Recipe of the Week - Strawberry Scones

Strawberry Scones made lighter, a wonderful breakfast and a delicious way to use up fresh summer strawberries!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup fresh strawberries, cut into small pieces

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 1 cup whole wheat flour

• 1/4 cup sugar plus 1 tsp for topping

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 cup (half stick) frozen butter

• 3/4 cups 1% light buttermilk, cold

• 1 tsp vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 400F.

• Measure out ¼ cup of sugar and remove 1 tbsp. Mix strawberries with 1 tbsp of sugar and set aside.

• In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients including the remaining sugar.

• Using the large holes of a cheese grater, grate the frozen butter into the flour.

• Mix well with flour.

• In a medium bowl, mix the buttermilk, vanilla.

• Using a fork, slowly stir in the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, until all the mixture is moistened. Do not over work the dough.

• Fold in the strawberries.

• Line a cookie sheet with a silicone sheet or parchment paper.

• Drop 8 equal large spoonfuls onto the cookie sheet (to avoid tough scones, do not press or compact). Sprinkle with one teaspoon of sugar. Bake in the center rack 18 minutes.

• Remove and let them cool about 5 minutes before eating.

• Optional: drizzle with glaze if desired by mixing powdered sugar and milk

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1 Scone

• Calories: 201

• Carbohydrates: 32g

• Protein: 4.5g

• Fat: 6.5g

• Fiber: 2.5g

How to Improve My Rest

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Looking for tips to get the best out of your rest? You’re in the right place!

Obviously, there are a lot of benefits to quality rest, including:

• Reduced stress and anxiety

• Improved mood

• Decreased blood pressure

• Chronic pain relief

• Improved immune health

• Stronger cardiovascular system

Here are some easy ways to improve your rest:

• Avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening.

• Stick to a consistent sleep schedule, even on the weekends.

• Set your thermostat between 60 and 70 degrees at night.

• Avoid napping during the day.

• At least one hour before bed, swap screen time for a relaxing activity such as reading, bedtime yoga or a relaxing bath.

• Exercise is important, but avoid working out late in the day, if possible.

Help! I Can't Stop Snacking!

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By: Lindsay Taylor

The good news: After a rough year and a half, many people are finding their way back to something like “normal” (even if it’s a new normal).

The bad news: We picked up some not-so-helpful habits during our time underground. You’re not alone if you’re emerging from your cocoon feeling a little worse for wear!

There’s no time like the present to start shedding those bad habits so you can get back to being the glorious butterfly you’re meant to be. For a lot of people, priority number one is getting their eating back on track.

“Help, I Can’t Stop Snacking!”

I wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard this in the past few months. Are we surprised? What with all of us stuck at home bored, overwhelmed, and in close proximity to the kitchen, snack attacks were bound to happen.

Let me go on record as saying that I don’t think snacking is always a problem. Yes, we’re big fans of intermittent fasting around these parts, and snacking is widely maligned in the ancestral health world at large. I haven’t forgotten that Mark’s most recent book is called Two Meals a Day!

There’s no denying that some folks make significant health gains when they start eating less frequently. At the same time, the empirical evidence for or against snacking is decidedly mixed. Some studies show that frequent small meals or snacks impair weight loss, glycemic control, appetite regulation, and various health markers. Others find that snacking is neutral or even beneficial for these same parameters.

As for the “humans aren’t meant to snack” argument, depending on their food environments, our paleolithic ancestors probably “snacked” as they foraged for plants that didn’t require cooking.1 You’re telling me that every one of those delicious berries made it back to camp? I think not. However, that’s not at all what snacking looks like today. Where modern humans run into trouble is with overconsumption of hyper-palatable, low-quality, pro-inflammatory foods. That concept would have been totally foreign to our ancestors, but it’s what most people mean when they say they “can’t stop snacking.”

If you’re stuck in a snacking rut, here are six things to consider:

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10 Ways to Avoid Overeating

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A person can use the following ten evidence-based methods to suppress their appetite and avoid overeating:

1. Eat more protein and healthful fats.

2. Drink water before every meal.

3. Eat more high-fiber foods.

4. Exercise before a meal.

5. Drink Yerba Maté tea.

6. Switch to dark chocolate.

7. Eat some ginger.

8. Eat bulky, low-calorie foods.

9. Stress Less

10. Mindful Eating
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Recipe of the Week - Grilled Coconut Red Curry Shrimp

Coconut Red Curry Shrimp Skewers with bell pepper and onions are so flavorful, thanks to one of my favorite pantry staples – red curry paste.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ½ lbs large, 20-25# shrimp, peeled

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• 1 red onion

• ½ cup low-fat coconut milk

• 2 Tbsp red curry paste, or more to taste

• 1 ½ tsp minced or grated fresh ginger

• 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated

• ½ jalapeño, minced (optional)

• 2 limes

• 2 red bell pepper

• 8 or 16 large skewers

• Cooking spray

• Chopped cilantro for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

• Pat the shrimp dry and season both sides with salt.

• Cut the onion into 8 wedges and reserve 7 wedges for the skewers.

• Mince the remaining wedge and add it to a large bowl with the coconut milk, curry paste, ginger, garlic, and jalapeño (if using) along with the zest and juice of 1 lime.

• Whisk until smooth, then give it a taste; if you’d like a stronger curry flavor, add a little more paste.

• Add the shrimp to the bowl and marinate for 30 minutes.

• Meanwhile, preheat the grill with high heat and oil the grates.

• Cut the reserved onion wedges into approximately 1-inch chunks, and try to keep the layers intact.

• Cut the bell pepper into 1- to 2-inch pieces.

• Thread the shrimp, onion wedges, and [individual or doubled slices of] bell pepper onto doubled skewers, alternating as you like but beginning and ending each skewer with shrimp, for a total of 8 kabobs.

• Reserve the marinade and lightly spray the kabobs with cooking oil.

• Add the kabobs to the grill and brush with marinade. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, brushing with marinade after flipping, until the shrimp are pink and firm and the onion is lightly charred.

• To serve, place the kabobs on a platter. Generously sprinkle chopped cilantro over everything and serve with wedges of lime.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 2 Skewers

• Calories: 252

• Carbohydrates: 13g

• Protein: 36g

• Fat: 5g

• Saturated Fat: 1.5g

• Cholesterol: 250mg

• Sodium: 848mg

• Fiber: 3g

• Sugar: 4g

Listen to Your Body Again

Photo by Jessica Lewis from Pexels

By: Erin Power

Summer parties, BBQs, a few adult beverages. Heck, it’s been forever since you’ve had a little fun — and this past year has been rough — so why not indulge? Why not pile on the treat foods and keep the sangria flowing? While you’re at it, go ahead and stay up way too late. There’s plenty of time to catch up on sleep later.

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a hedonist at heart. I believe humans are driven by the pursuit of pleasure. The problem arises when we indulge mindlessly because we believe we deserve it and because it’s been 16 months since we’ve had the opportunity to let our hair down and interact with other human beings within a six-foot radius. Or, on the flip side, are so out of touch with our bodies’ sensations that even simple things like fatigue and hunger become totally overwhelming and unmanageable.

As a health coach, I’ve worked with hundreds of uber-disciplined, well-educated folks who have their macros completely dialed in, yet struggle to see results, as well as those who restrict like nobody’s business during the week or follow the health-fad-du-jour, then give in to a whole weekend’s worth of junk food (and all the guilt, shame, and judgement that comes with it). It’s one of the reasons I’ve become a staunch anti-diet advocate. And why I’m passionate about helping people re-learn how to listen to their bodies.

What Does Listen to Your Body Even Mean?

Everything about our culture encourages us to tune out our bodies’ signs, from advertising that insists we don’t need to put up with headaches, allergies, or indigestion to the glorification of cheat days, pushing through the pain of over exercising, abandoning our own gut feelings for the professional opinion of a healthcare provider, and convincing ourselves that we “might just be thirsty” when we feel hunger come on.

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Recipe of the Week - Cilantro Chicken Salad

This easy chicken salad recipe is made with scallions, cilantro with a hint of lime. It's a tasty twist on traditional chicken salad with some Latin flavor!

INGREDIENTS

• 7 oz cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced

• 2 tbsp light mayonnaise, full fat for Keto

• 1 small scallion, chopped

• 2 tsp lime juice

• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

• kosher salt and pepper

• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/8 teaspoon cumin

• 1/8 teaspoon chile powder

• low sodium chicken broth, check labels for Keto or use bullion

INSTRUCTIONS

• Combine cooked chicken, mayonnaise, scallions, lime juice, and cilantro.

• Season to taste with salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and chile powder.

• Add a little chicken broth if chicken seams too dry, 1 tbsp at a time.

How to Poach Chicken Breast:

• Cover chicken breast in broth in a small pot, add water if it doesn't cover the chicken.

• Add salt and pepper, a piece of celery and it's leaves (you could add herbs like parsley, garlic, onion, or whatever you want) and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 5 minutes.

• Remove from heat, cover tight and let it sit for 15-20 minutes or until thickest part of the breast registers 160 degrees.

• Chicken will be cooked through. Let it cool and cut into small cubes.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1/2

• Calories: 160.5

• Carbohydrates: 3g

• Protein: 23g

• Fat: 6g

• Saturated Fat: 0.5g

• Cholesterol: 61.5mg

• Sodium: 151.5mg

• Fiber: 0.5g,

• Sugar: 1g

Recipe of the Week - Air Fryer Burst Tomato Burrata Caprese Salad

Burst tomatoes are so quick and easy to make in the air fryer. Adding burrata cheese and arugula turns this into a delicious summer salad.

INGREDIENTS

Tomatoes

• 1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved

• 4 large whole garlic cloves, slightly smashed

• 1 teaspoon olive oil

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Salad

• 3 cups baby arugula

• 1 small whole Burrata cheese, 4 ounces

• 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze

• 1/4 cup torn basil

• 2 ounces sliced rustic loaf, sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

• Place tomatoes, garlic, 1 teaspoon extra virgin oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper in a bowl and toss, transfer to the air fryer basket. Cook 400F 10 minutes, shaking.

• Place arugula on a platter. Drain burrata and add to the arugula. Top with roasted tomatoes and drizzle any juices that accumulated. Top with balsamic glaze, basil, salt and pepper. Serve with bread.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1/2

• Calories: 307

• Carbohydrates: 30g

• Protein: 15g

• Fat: 18g

• Saturated Fat: 8.5g

• Cholesterol: 40mg

• Sodium: 505.5mg

• Fiber: 3.5g

• Sugar: 7g

How Do I Recover from a Workout?

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Need some help covering after a workout? Try these nine things!

1. Food (you have a 2 hr window to get in proper nutrients post workout)

2. Cold water immersion (to rapidly reduce muscle pain and soreness)

3. Sauna (if the cold is unbearable, heat can help in recovery)

4. Walk (keeps the blood flowing and clears the mind)

5. Magnesium (precursor to hundreds of physiological processes in the body)

6. Sleep (without sleep your results will be self destructive)

7. Sun (sun improves muscle recovery)

8. Reduce stress (stress of any kind will hinder recovery)

9. Control your ego.

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What are Postbiotics? What do they have to do with gut health?

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By: Mark Sisson

Gut health is an enormous topic that just got even bigger.

You know about probiotics: bacteria that provide benefits to our gut, metabolic, and/or overall health when eaten. Some probiotic bacteria colonize our guts—they take up residence in our digestive tract and provide lasting effects. Some probiotic bacteria are transients—they visit and impart benefits and interact with our guts and its inhabitants, but do not stay.

You also know about prebiotics: non-digestible food components that nourish and provide food for the bacteria living in our guts. Prebiotics include fermentable plant fibers, resistant starch, “animal fiber,” and certain polyphenols.

This is standard stuff. Entire store shelves are devoted to fermented dairy, pickles, sauerkraut, supplements, kombucha, and other sources of probiotics. You’ve probably got all sorts of strange gums and fibers and powders that serve as prebiotic substrate for gut bugs. Gut health is mainstream.

But you probably don’t know about postbiotics.

What Are Postbiotics?

Postbiotics are the products created by our gut bacteria after they consume prebiotics, interact with incoming food components, and interact with other bacteria. They include:

• Short-chain fatty acids like butyrate, propionate, and acetate

• Vitamins like inositol, vitamin K2, and certain B vitamins

• Neurotransmitters like GABA and serotonin

And then there are the likely innumerable postbiotic effects, metabolites, and outcomes that we have yet to elucidate and quantify. In other words, postbiotics—the actions, products, and interactions of probiotic bacteria—are the entire reason we’re so interested in probiotics and prebiotics.

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Recipe of the Week - Grilled Steak with Tomatoes, Red Onion and Balsamic

This Grilled Steak topped with fresh chopped tomatoes, red onion, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil is one of my favorite ways to make steak in the summer.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lb flank or london broil steak

• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

• garlic powder

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 1/3 cup red onion, chopped

• 3 to 4 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 3 1/2 cups)

• 1 tbsp fresh herbs such as oregano, basil or parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

• Pierce steak all over with a fork. Season generously with salt, pepper and garlic powder and set aside about 10 minutes at room temperature.

• In a large bowl, combine onions, olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper. Let onions sit a few minutes in the mixture to mellow a bit. Combine with tomatoes and fresh herbs and adjust seasoning if needed.

• Heat grill or broiler on high heat. Cook steak about 7 minutes on each side for medium rare or longer to taste. Remove from grill and let it rest on a plate for about 5 minutes before slicing.

• Slice steak thin on the diagonal; top with tomatoes and serve.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 3oz + 1/2 cup salad

• Calories: 198

• Carbohydrates: 3g

• Protein: 25g

• Fat: 9g

• Saturated Fat: 3g

• Cholesterol: 78mg

• Sodium: 71mg

• Fiber: 0.5g

• Sugar: 0.5g

Sprinting and Jumping - Losing Body Fat and Cultivating Gratitude

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By: Brad Kearns

Before we get into details about the two best exercises ever known to mankind to shed excess body fat (sprinting and jumping), I want to put in a little plug for the trending healthy living topic of gratitude.1 The concept is easy to pay lip service to, especially when you’re struggling and not in the best mood to feel it naturally. I’m recently recovered from minor knee injury lasting six months that prevented me from doing my beloved sprinting and high jumping workouts. While athletics no longer dominates my life as it did when I was a pro triathlete, there was a lingering frustration deep down from being deprived of my favorite fitness endeavors, being unsure of the diagnosis of my injury, testing out the knee and experiencing setbacks, and being forced to be massively patient.

Today, I feel incredibly grateful to be back at the track sprinting and jumping. I’m also grateful for the outstanding physical therapy and chiropractic care that helped me finally obtain an accurate diagnosis and quickly heal from tight hip flexors, quads, and calves that referred pain to the area of what actually always was a perfectly healthy knee. When in doubt, seek out high quality, athletic-minded, hands-on healing practitioners!

Now that I’m back into the groove, I notice that I relish the entire workout experience like never before—hopping the fence to gain access to the track, completing my deliberate warmup routine and exacting technique drills (Basic and Advanced) that I have so much fun sharing on YouTube, and performing an ambitious main set of sprints or a focused high jumping workout.

Interestingly, my most significant source of gratitude comes from the discomfort associated with delivering brief bursts of maximum physical effort. I challenge anyone reading to reflect on your attitude before and during your most difficult workout efforts—those last few reps or last few meters to complete a great set. It’s common to whine and judge these efforts negatively. This mentality is infectious amidst training groups and teams. We whine to our personal trainers during a session, forcing them out of trainer or coach mode and into babysitter mode.

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Recipe of the Week - Foil Packet Cheesy Sausage and Peppers

Foil Packet Cheesy Sausage and Peppers are so easy to make on the grill if you’re camping, vacationing, or just looking for an easy dinner with even easier cleanup!

INGREDIENTS

• Reynolds Wrap® Non-Stick Foil

• 4 sweet or spicy Italian chicken sausage links, about 2 3/4 oz each

• 2 medium onions, sliced into 1/4 inch strips

• 2 red bell peppers, sliced into 1/4 inch strips

• 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 3/4 cup marinara sauce

• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella

• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• fresh black pepper, to taste

• crusty bread, optional for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the grill on high heat on one half and medium-low on the other.

• In a large bowl combine the onions, pepper, olive oil, salt and pepper.

• Make foil packets:

  • Tear off 4 12 x 18” sheets of Reynolds Wrap® Non-Stick Foil.

  • Divide the onions and peppers between 4 pieces of foil, with the dull side facing up. Top with 3 tablespoons marinara.

  • Bring up the long sides of the foil, so the ends meet over the food.

  • Double fold the ends, leaving room for heat to circulate inside. Double fold the two short ends to seal the packet tight, so no steam escapes.

  • Place the foil packets on the side of the grill with the medium-low heat. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.

  • When ready, set aside and add the sausage to the medium-low side. At this point you can shut off the high side of the grill.

• Cook sausage, 6 to 8 minutes turning often until cooked through in the center and place on a cutting board.

• Open the foil packets, slice the sausage and add to the foil packets, top each with 2 tablespoons cheese and keep open.

• Cover grill and leave until cheese melts, about 5 minutes. Serve with bread, if desired.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1 Packet

• Calories: 223

• Carbohydrates: 12.5g

• Protein: 18.5g

• Fat: 11.5g

• Saturated Fat: 3g

• Cholesterol: 67.5mg

• Sodium: 886.5mg

• Fiber: 3g

• Sugar: 5.5g

5 Quick Tips for Fitness Success

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Looking for some easy ways to ensure you’re getting the best out of your workouts? Here’s five things to add to your routine.

• Exercise Daily. Exercise daily for at least an hour.

• Eat the Right Foods and Portion Each Meal. No matter how bad your stomach is telling you to go for candy over healthy food, try to stay away from sweets.

• Keep Track of Calories and Food Intake Per Day.

• Be Sure to Get Sleep.

• Stay Motivated.

Should I Practice Mindfulness?

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By: Erin Power

I’d argue that mindfulness is one of the biggest health trends of our time. It promises less stress, more inner peace, and a solid dose of self-awareness. It’s also a multi-billion-dollar industry, from apps that dole out guided meditations to full-on retreats in tropical locales.

But before you download the paid version of Headspace or investigate roundtrip fares to Bali, ask yourself this important question: Am I ready to stop operating on autopilot, repeating the same less-than-healthy patterns over and over again?

I’ll let you ponder one that for a minute.

What Is Mindfulness, Anyway?

Mindfulness is a 2,500-year-old practice. It’s the ability to be fully present, where you’re totally tuned into what’s happening, what you’re doing, and why you’re doing it — in the moment and without judgement.

A lot of my health coaching clients are convinced they’re being mindful when it comes to their eating habits, yet somehow, manage to polish off a bottle of wine or wheel of cheese without realizing it. Now, I’m all for hedonistic behaviour, but if your choices leave you full of regret, shame, and guilt, it’s probably worthwhile to pursue a different strategy.

Mindfulness isn’t for the faint of heart. It also isn’t great for perfectionists (if you’re determined to “get it right”), those with limited patience, or anyone looking for a temporary fix. Or if you don’t believe change is possible.

The Problem with Mindfulness

Contrary to most things in our instant gratification world, you probably won’t get results right away. Which is why mindfulness isn’t a great fit for everyone. In fact, one study showed that it can actually make stress worse, although it’s not clear if the outcome was related to the participants’ mindset, their mode of mindfulness, or a combo of both.

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Recipe of the Week - Gluten-free Coffee Infused Hazelnut Pancakes

Grain-free pancakes infused with coffee and hazelnuts for a roasty, nutty spin on this classic comfort food.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup strong coffee

• 2 tbsp. soft coconut oil

• 2 tbsp. Milk of choice

• 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract

• 3/4 cup ground hazelnuts (roasted)

• 2 tbsp. ground flaxseed

• 2 tbsp. tapioca starch

• 2 tbsp. coconut flour

• 1 tsp. baking powder

• 1/4–1/2 tsp. ground coffee

• 4 drops monk fruit extract sweetener

• 3 room temperature large eggs

• Coconut oil for the pan

INSTRUCTIONS

• Place hazelnuts (we used roasted hazelnuts) in a high speed blender and blend until a fine flour forms. Don’t blend too long or you’ll get the beginnings of hazelnut butter. Measure out ¾ cup of the hazelnut flour and move to the next step.

• In a bowl, whisk together the coffee, coconut oil, milk and vanilla extract until the coconut oil is melted and the mixture is combined.

• Add the ground hazelnuts, ground flaxseed, tapioca starch, coconut flour, baking powder and ground coffee and whisk together. Add the monkfruit sweetener to taste (we used about 4 drops, but sweeten to fit your tastes).

• Whisk in the eggs and mix until the batter is smooth.

• Heat a pan over medium heat on your stovetop. You can use a small skillet or regular 9” one. Once hot, add a small amount of coconut oil (about 1-2 teaspoons or so) and swirl it around the pan. Quickly scoop the batter out into 1, 2 or 3 pancakes on the pan, depending on the size of your pan. Allow them to cook until the edges of the pancakes are bubbling and slightly set, then carefully flip them. Allow them to cook on the other side until the pancakes are fairly firm. Remove the pancakes from the pan with a spatula.

• Add a little more coconut oil to the pan and repeat until you’ve used up all of the pancake batter. Enjoy as is or top with a little bit of syrup and chopped hazelnuts.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 2 Pancakes

• Calories: 285.3

• Sugar: 11.2 g

• Sodium: 187.9 mg

• Fat: 21.6 g

• Saturated Fat: 7.4 g

• Unsaturated Fat: 13 g

• Trans Fat: 0.1 g

• Carbohydrates: 15.2 g

• Fiber: 1.8 g

• Protein: 21.3 g

• Cholesterol: 55.6 mg