Super Simple Healthy Podcast

When you think of lemons and cancer, the organization “Alex’s Lemonade Stand” may come to mind. But more than just a way to raise funds for cancer research, lemons can fight cancer by eating them too. Today we will be talking about the real, physical benefits lemons have on the body, and the most effective way to get the most out of this amazing fruit! Lemons vs Cancer Everything people choose to eat either contributes to disease or helps to fight it. Disease cannot live in an alkaline body where it actually feeds disease in an acidic state. Lemons are one of the most alkalizing foods you can consume. It may seem counterintuitive because of it’s sour taste, but it turns alkaline once ingested. Lemons are a citrus fruit, high in vitamin C, which is great for giving our body the immune boost it needs to stay in check. When vitamin C levels are low, little to no repair happens in the body. Lemons are also high in potassium, which stimulates brain and nerve function. Potassium helps reduce free radicals, increases red blood cell production and controls blood pressure. What does all this mean in real-talk? More energy, clearer skin, anti-aging properties, less sickness, less stress, and more focus! Um, yes please! One very simple and inexpensive way I tell my clients to help detoxify their system is to drink warm or hot lemon water throughout the day for a period of two weeks. The trick here is of course not to drink any other beverages during that time. So no juices, coffee, alcohol or ice teas, hot cocoa etc, just sip lemon water throughout the day. This is especially helpful after the holidays or any other time of year you may have overdone the cookies and made a little “too merry”! Make sure the lemon is not from a container of lemon juice, but from a piece of whole lemon. So what’s this about cancer? Well, the compounds found in lemon peels are a thousand times more powerful than Adriamycin, a common drug used in chemotherapy. In fact, Lemons contain 22 anti-cancer compounds, including limonene, citrus pectin and flavonol glycosides which stop the division of cancer cells. Limonene seeks to destroy the malignant cells while leaving behind the healthy cells, undamaged. Let me be clear. I am not suggesting that anyone stop chemotherapy and just eat lemons. This is definitely one more simple way to help fight the disease. In fact, according to The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization of Australia, citrus fruits redice the risk of some cancers by 50 percent. These scientists report that citrus fruits are most protective against stomach, mouth, larynx and pharynx cancers. One of the best ways to consume this superfood is to first rinse, then freeze the fruit whole. Once completely frozen, grate the entire lemon along with its peel. Then feel free to use the shredded lemon as a salad topper, in your morning smoothie, in a cup of hot water or tea, or in various other recipes. Check out my website recipes for one of my favorites: broccoli, avocado and lemon salad, at www.supersimplehealthy.com/recipes. And keep an eye out for the collection of my favorite “Super Simple, Healthy Holiday” recipes on sale for a limited time! As always, feel free to add comments and questions and share this episode with your loved ones. Until next time: Keep it simple. Be Healthy.

“Trade Your Expectation for Appreciation and Your Life will change in an instant.”- Tony Robbins. I thought that was quite an appropriate quote for the spirit of the season, and today we are going to talk about three decisions you make every day that can change your life in an instant. Expectation vs Appreciation Trade your expectation for appreciation and your life will change in an instant. What does this mean and why is it important to your life? Sometimes it seems life can be unfair. Every person is born with unique abilities and gifts that are meant to be shared and used to the best of their abilities. Yet somewhere along their journey challenges arise, even tragedy. It can be very difficult at the time these moments occur to see that each one holds a gift. When I was a junior and senior in high school, I worked as a cashier at our local grocery store. One year, a couple of days after Thanksgiving, a woman came in steaming mad asking to talk to a manager. In her arms, she carried a large unfrozen, uncooked, turkey. She stood there yelling at the manager that their Thanksgiving had been ruined because the bird she bought was bad. They had a house full of relatives and friends and they all had to work together at the last minute to come up with whatever else they had on hand in order to feed everyone. Now, I understand. On Thanksgiving Day, we expect the Turkey with stuffing and gravy and all the other delicious sides that come with it. My mom makes her famous “jello mold” and I love my sister’s cranberry nut bread. And if you look on my Super Simple Healthy Facebook page, you’ll see a video showcasing my famous “sneaky” mashed potatoes. But at that moment as I stood there in the grocery store as this woman was screaming, almost in tears, I couldn’t help but think she’d rather missed the point. What if, instead of focusing on the “bad bird” that ruined their Thanksgiving, she had focused on the fact that she had all her friends and family under one roof. And in spite of no turkey, they still had enough food to feed everyone. Not everyone, even in this country can say that. She chose not to focus on the fact that no one got sick, or that she has a place where she can go – one store where she can simply choose all of her food. She doesn’t have to spend hours, weeks, months, planting and growing all that food. It’s just there. And she has a car to bring her there. And a warm home in the middle of a chill fall night where she and her family will sleep. And this is certainly a Thanksgiving her whole family will be able to remember for years to come – where they all had to come together and get creative in the kitchen. They may even look back and laugh about it. There are things we expect to happen throughout our lives. We expect to make the team, get into a certain school, receive a promotion at work, or find that certain someone with whom to spend the rest of your life with and raise a family. But instead we may get cut from the team, turned down by the school, looked over for the promotion, or get a divorce. Your life is shaped by the decisions you make. But there are three decisions you make every day that shape your destiny. First, what are you going to focus on? (didn’t make the team OR l Iearned so much from that and made some new friends, now I’ll have more time to practice my drums) Second decision: What does this mean? (I’m not good enough, I’ll never move up, OR how can I improve, is it time for a new job or new skills?) And the third decision: What am I going to do? (get upset, yell, complain, feel like a failure, OR appreciate all that you DO have – and get a refund on the bird!)

It may be the season to be jolly, but it’s also the start of the flu season. I admit, I haven’t had a flu shot in years. I hardly get sick at all anymore. And today I have with me a special guest and good friend, Linda White, Certified Holistic Health and Transformation Coach and Yogi, who is going to talk about a couple of ways to stave off the flu, naturally. Flus Blues Welcome Linda! I’m so glad you have you here today! Before we begin, can you say a few words about what it is you do and how you began? In 2004 at the age of 40, I was pregnant with my 3rd child, moved ½ way across the country to where I am now, left my support network of friends and had to start over in a very toxic marriage. This is when I knew I had to do something. I began yoga for stress reduction. Fell in love with heated vinyasa. This is where I began to know myself. I knew I loved nutrition and came across Institute for Integrative Nutrition where I met Chris :) Went on to get a Holistic MBA and Masters in Transformational Coaching too! The transformational coaching was pivotal in helping me see where I was getting stuck in my life and learning how to move forward. I also have chemical sensitivities and wanted a perfume that didn’t make my lungs shut down. A friend told me about DoTerra Essential Oils and I signed on immediately not knowing the therapeutic benefits. Awesome. That’s quite a blend of skills! And I know how much you love essential oils. Before we talk about the flu can you tell us why essential oils are so powerful? Ok. So what are two things you do for your family during winter and flu season? I used to get the flu shot every year as well as my kids. I stopped that a few years back and now we are a lot healthier. I use doterra oils now. You can diffuse the oils use them topically or internally depending on the oil. For example, I use Onguard for keeping healthy during the winter months. It supports healthy immune and respritory function, protects against environmental threats, supports your body’s natural antioxidant defenses, promotes healthy circulation and the aroma is energizing and uplifting. A fantastic immune boosting blend is a mix of onguard, lemon, melaleuca and oregano oils in in capsule form taken orally. Oregano is powerful! antifungal, antibacterial, antioxidant. Great for candida and and fungus. For sinuses, a blend I use is onguard, oregano, lemon, melaleuca, frankencense, rosemary. I also use Breathe oil in hot water and cup my hands around it and breathe it in to get right to my sinus cavities. Very cool. My personal go-to for when I’m feeling something about to come on – like that little tickle in my throat, is to reach for some herbal teas, manuka honey and zinc tablets. I’ll add those couple of Linda’s home remedies to my list on my downloads page at www.supersimplehealthy.com/downloads . My website is vibrantlifebylinda. I will be posting upcoming workshops on there. OK. Thanks you for being here Linda! I hope that was helpful! Please leave your comments and ratings on iTunes or Soundcloud, and feel free to share with friends or family! Until next time: Keep it simple. Be Healthy.

A couple of weeks ago I thought I’d pulled something in my knee during a workout. My knee was achy and stiff and I had a hard time even bending it. But the pain didn’t go away for over a week and it was starting to really worry me. I mentioned it to my friend and special guest, Betsy and she gave me three simple tips. Within 24 hours my knee was feeling better! Today we are going to share those tips with you. Walk This Way Betsy Wetzig is a Movement-Mind Researcher, Author and director of Coordination Patterns Training and Dynamics. Before we begin, can you say a few words about what it is you do and how you began? I teach people about their bio-electric, movement-mind Patterns, to help them move and feel better. There are four neuromuscular patterns that coordinate the core way we function both mentally and physically. They are causal to the WAY we relax, move, and the WAY we have awareness and creativity. Since all behavior, (like walking or leadership) is both physical and mental, I actually work with everything we do. But I focus the work of Coordination Patterns Training and Dynamics to apply my research to different needs. At Twin Ponds Integrative Center, I teach a class is called Coordination Patterns and Dynamics Training. We use simple exercises that access the Patterns and help people to move more ergonomically, and thus to release holding and bracing, get rid and reduce pain, and prevent injury. As a plus they are improving the way their brain is working as well. So Betsy, a couple of weeks ago I thought I might have arthritis. The pain in my knee wouldn’t go away and I was really starting to get worried. I mentioned this to you after a meeting, sort of in passing and you just looked at me and tell the folks what you told me. You were putting your weight too far back in your heals instead of your arch, and not using your feet correctly, thus hurting your knee. I gave you a simple exercises to change your habits of standing, and walking. 1) rock side to side weight over arch 2) put flashlights on your knees so your leg bones would move through more ergonomically 3) Roll your feet on a rolling pin or swim noodle to release the foot and leg muscles and at the same time turn on the Patterns in your neuromuscular system by mobilizing the Patterns in your feet. And it was so simple and makes so much sense, and most importantly I felt results almost immediately! So thanks again, and of course for sharing that today with everyone. Betsy and I work at the Twin Ponds Center right here in Lehigh Valley. You can go to www.twinpondscenter.com to find us there. How else can people get in touch with you? Moves4Greatness.com, on Facebook at Coordination Patterns Training and Dynamics and phone me at 610-398-9652 I hope that was helpful! Please leave your comments and ratings on iTunes or Soundcloud, and feel free to share with friends or family! Until next time: Keep it simple. Be Healthy.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard friends and clients tell me how they are trying to stay away from carbs (or carbohydrates). They are the still known as the “resident evil” when it comes to weight loss and today I will be talking about why you WANT to have carbs in your diet. Good Carb/Bad Carb So what’s the scoop on carbohydrates? Aren’t they supposed to make you fat and keep you from losing weight? Well, yes and no. First, let’s review what a carbohydrate IS, what it DOES and then what to look for when choosing what’s best for your diet. Carbohydrates are the sugars, starches and fibers found in fruits, grains, vegetables and milk products. Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy. It is one of three macronutrients in the body – macro, meaning large – hense your body needs a lot of them in order to function properly. The other two macronutrients are protein and fats. Carbohydrates actually do a lot for your body and even help you lose weight! WHAT?? Yep. Here are just a couple of benefits: 1) They help you keep muscle! And muscles help your body to burn fat (yay!). 2) Help you curb cravings 3) Stabilize blood sugar 4) Promote healthy bowels 5) Reduce cholesterol 6) Reduces your risk of type 2 diabetes Where people get confused is when they are told to cut out carbs in order to lose weight. If we need them to function and they do all these great things, then why would anyone say you should take them out? Removing carbohydrates from your diet, will help you lose water weight. But it will also make you feel tired and eventually after the diet is over and you add those carbs back into your diet, you will gain all the weight back again (can you say - frustration?!) So what to do? There are good carbs and bad carbs. The carbs to stay away from include white sugar, processed foods, soda, high fructose corn syrup, white breads, and pastas containing refined flour. Those are the simple carbs. These carbs get stripped of all fiber, vitamins and minerals during the refining process and have little or no nutritional value and load of calories. The carbs you want are complex carbs that take more time to digest and give you energy such as: Leafy green vegetables, sweet potatoes, beans, quinoa, rice, oats, carrots, squash, beets, apples, bananas, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds. Just in time for the holidays, I am co-hosting a special retreat at Twin Ponds Integrative Center here in Breinigsville along with Ayurvedic Cook, Michelle Costantini on November 11th from 4-7 pm. We will help you create delicious, carb-friendly sides and treats you can feel good about! For details and to register visit my website at www.supersimplehealthy.com and click on “Holiday Feast Retreat” Or contact me at 610-704-8083. Space is limited, so registration is required! I hope that was helpful. Please leave your comments below and feel free to share with friends and family! Until next time: Keep it simple. Be Healthy.

You may recall hearing stories about slick salesman in the 1800’s, pulling up in a wagon yelling “STEP RIGHT UP! you won’t believe your eyes!”. He’d try to scam people into buying his “magical elixir”. Well, today I’m going to talk about one, all natural “magical elixir: Apple Cider Vinegar. But this time, I swear – it’s true! The Magic of ACV Apple Cider Vinegar (or ACV) has been used as a natural remedy since the days of Hippocrates. A few of the various things it can be used for include: sore throat, indigestion, weight loss, and can even be used to clean your home! First, I’ll go over what ACV actually is and what makes it so special. And then I’ll share the various ways in which it is prepared as well as how NOT to use it. And finally, two specific problems it can help you with and how to use it. And for more suggestions, pop over to my website www.supersimplehealthy.com and click on “downloads” for the full list of “Magical Elixir” solutions. Apple Cider Vinegar is essentially fermented hard apple cider. The sugar in the fruit is first transformed into alcohol and during fermentation becomes aectic and malic acids. These acids are what gives ACV its strong, sour taste and smell and turns it into that antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, fat burning, immune boosting “magical elixir”. During the fall is a great time to take advantage of making your own ACV. You can make your own for about ¼ of what you will pay in the grocery store. I offer a special class in the fall called “Raw-Mazing!” where I teach you how to make your own home remedies and cleaning agents. Check out my website www.supersimplehealthy.com and click on “classes and events”. Although apple cider vinegar is all natural, please don’t overdue. As with most things, too much can cause more problems so don’t drink it straight it is very acidic. Pregnant or nursing moms or people on medications should always check with their doctor before starting any long-term apple cider vinegar regimen. Also, whether buying from the store or making it at home, make sure it is stored in a glass, not plastic container, as the chemicals from the plastic can leach into the vinegar! And be sure to get RAW, not pasteurized ACV because a lot of the vitamins, probiotics and enzymes are destroyed during the heating process of pasteurization. Here are a couple of ways in which to use this magical elixir: 1) To ease indigestion, add 2-4 tsp of acv to 8oz of room temperature water and drink it slowly over a period of 20-30 min. If you really can’t stomach the taste, try adding a small squirt of raw honey into the mix. Remember don’t overdue, start with the smaller dose of acv and add one tsp over time if you don’t already feel the benefits. This mixture can help to reduce symptoms of reflux, heartburn, gas, bloating, abdominal pain, cramping and constipation, which are often caused by having too little stomach acid rather than too much! 2) To help ease symptoms of excema, add 1 tsp of acv to 8oz of room temperature water and drink this combo 1-3x/day. Again, if you are not seeing/feeling results, you can increase dosage slowly by 1 tsp, but do not exceed 1 TBSP. Alternatively, you can use it externally by mixing 1 part acv with 1 part water into a spray bottle and applying the spray 1-2x/day. Once dry, you may want to apply a little coconut oil to the area to add moisture back to the skin. Recap: 1) Make or purchase only raw, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar, stored in glass containers. 2) Check with your doctor if you are pregnant, nursing or on any medications before starting any long-term acv regimen. 3) Start with low doses and increase only if necessary, do not drink undiluted. As always, if you found this information helpful, please feel free to share with friends and family and leave your comments and ratings on iTunes! Until next time: Keep it simple. Be Healthy.

You may have heard about the mind-body connection, but have you ever stopped to think what that really means? Today, I have with me Meg Deak, a licensed professional counselor, music therapist, EFT practitioner and the author of the forthcoming book Endorphin Soup™. She is going to explain how your emotions create your reality and what you can do when you want to make changes that last. Your Subconscious Body Welcome Meg! Can you tell us briefly, a bit about your background and how you got started? And what IS EFT? I learned all about stress from the inside out, by experiencing burnout in my first career in 1978. I began to explore sound and music, especially how the voice can be used in the healing process. I studied music therapy at Hahnemann University, and received a master of Creative Arts in Therapy. I later developed an interest in vibroacoustics and brainwave entrainment and studied with Dr. Jeffrey Thompson at the Center for Neuroacoustic Research. In 1998, I was introduced to EFT – Emotional Freedom Techniques, which is a gentle method of clearing emotional distress by tapping on specific acupressure points. It’s used to provide relief for emotional distress. I found it so powerful that I became a certified practitioner. One of the things that struck me in your presentation was when you used the phrase “the subconscious body”. Can you give us some examples of how our emotions create a physical reaction in our body? What is that Mind-Body connection? Our thoughts and our feelings are essentially two sides of the same coin. Every thought has a feeling connected to it. Some thoughts are neutral, so there’s little to feel, but some are loaded. We feel them, because they are chemicals that run through the body… like insulin or serotonin. And they are all different – they feel different, because every emotion has its own chemical signature. Anger feels different than sadness or joy, because it’s a different chemical. Studies of the brain show that emotion is central to the thinking process. It's emotions that fuel learning and making decisions, which why it’s hard to make a decision when we feel emotionally overwhelmed. Emotion helps us remember. You may not remember what you had for breakfast, but if you won the lottery, while you were eating blueberry pancakes…I guarantee you’d remember that breakfast. Strong feelings are encoded in the body, and we now know that the body is what we’ve always called the subconscious. And what are a couple of examples of some simple changes a person can make to start turning their health around? First, pay attention to your thoughts, do a reality check – am I making this bigger than it is? Second, learn to accept and manage your feelings. When we’re over-stressed or have negative thoughts and feelings, we’re susceptible to getting sick. When we focus on positive thoughts & feelings the immune system gets a boost and it’s easier to fight off infection. That’s why I teach EFT to all my clients. It’s a self-help tool to neutralize uncomfortable feelings and enhance those like calm, peace, and joy. And, remember…Stressed out people look older! I see it all the time in my practice; I get to watch people become younger looking, right before my eyes, as they let go of tension and stress. If you want to talk to Meg or Myself for that matter, please join us this Sunday at the Twin Ponds Integrative Center in Breinigsville. We are celebrating its 10th Anniversary and all proceeds benefit Parkinson’s support groups in this area You can find me at LRSoundEnergy.com or at facebook.com/liferhythms Until next time, Keep it Simple, Be Healthy! https://supersimplehealthy.com

Do you or your loved ones suffer from acne? When I was just 8yrs old, my first pimple appeared on my chin. Little did I know, it was the beginning of a 20yr sentence of what my dermatologist dubbed “stubborn acne”. Today, I will be talking about how to get rid of those nasty little bumps, without medication! Growing up, most people have some experience with acne, usually during the teenage years. Mine was a bit different. I saw my first pimple at just 8yrs old and it continued to be an issue for me until I was almost 30. Now, when I tell people I had horrible skin for 20yrs, they are amazed. Today, I have a clear, healthy, glowing, complexion. So, this is a subject that is close to my heart. First, I’ll talk about what acne is, what causes it, what doesn’t, and my top 3 tips for zapping those zits! So what is acne? Medical terminology defines acne as: A chronic, inflammatory skin condition that results in whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, cysts, and nodules. While it is not dangerous, it can leave scars, certainly is annoying and can be embarrassing. Our skin has pores that connect to sebaceous glands under the skin. Sebaceous glands produce an oily liquid called sebum. Follicles connect the glands to the pores. Sebum carries dead skin cells through the follicles to the surface of the skin. Tiny hairs grow through the follicle out to the skin surface. Acne forms when these follicles become blocked and the oil from the sebaceous glands get trapped and built up under the skin. Acne is NOT the result of a lack of cleansing the skin. The pores do not get clogged from surface dirt. In fact, washing more frequently or scrubbing the skin can actually irritate pores and cause them to become clogged. As they used to say in Mary Kay: “your face is not a frying pan” so don’t scrub it. Be gentle, use your hands to wash and rinse your face 2x/day, and/or after workouts. Also, getting a sunburn does not help get rid of acne. I used to like a little sunburn in the summer when I had bad acne, because it momentarily dried up my skin a bit and the redness kind of helped to camouflage the blemishes. But, it didn’t take too long for the skin to react, trying to heal itself again. Dry, damaged skin causes sebaceous glands to produce even more oil and hence: more acne. The same reaction happens when you use a soap that leaves you with that tight, dry feeling. While it’s a nice reprieve from the excessive oil and shine that is often accompanied by acne prone skin, the dryness once again signals the sebaceous glands that it needs more oil - and here we go again. So what can you do? I will leave a more extensive list of treatments and tips on my website, supersimplehealthy.com/downloads. But here are my top 3 tips: 1) Drink a cup of "Skin Detox" tea (made by Yogi). It has awesome organic herbs that detox the liver like burdock, red clover and honeybush leaf. The liver is the major site where the body filters out toxins. This "Skin Detox" tea is caffeinated so better to drink in the morning than at night. Look for it in the natural or organic section of your grocery store. 2) Eat less dairy. Dairy products have been known to increase the production of sebum. The hormone IGF-1 found in milk has been linked to acne because it chronically stimulates sebaceous glands. So, try cutting dairy out for a month or two and see what happens. You can substitute almond or coconut milk products and get your recommended calcium through other nuts, seeds, and omega 3 rich fish like salmon. I hope that was helpful. Look for the more extensive list on my website at www.supersimplehealthy.com/downloads. And feel free to comment and share this episode or others the first place.with your friends and family.

Do you suffer from chronic joint pain, weight gain, IBS, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, rosacea, acne, or arthritis? Today I have with me, Michelle Costantini, a Nutrition & Lifestyle Consultant who specializes in the Ayurvedic approach to wellness. She is going to walk us through her top 3 SIMPLE tips for easing these and other ailments! Joint Pain, IBS n Weight Gain – Oh MY! Good morning Michelle! That was a pretty long list of health issues I just read and I’m SO excited to have you talk about how to take simple steps to start healing. Before we begin, can you share your story about how you started, your background and what the heck is Ayurveda? Ayurveda is a 5-thousand-year old holistic system of medicine from India that treats each person individually. It provides simple guidance about food and lifestyle so that people who are healthy can stay healthy and those with health issues can improve their situations. It’s this approach that attracted me to Ayurveda. When my mother was undergoing chemo a few years ago, she was losing weight, strength, and appetite but as long as her blood work was good, the doctors were happy. Unfortunately, it proved not enough. So I began studying Ayurveda in Europe, then I went to India and then I came back here to the U.S. I work as a consultant and I’m also studying for the practitioner’s level. Thank you for that. I know we’ve talked about this to a degree, and while I know the answer, can you explain the common thread with: joint pain, IBS, weight gain, constipation etc? What do people need to pay attention to? We need to pay attention to our digestion. Most people have digestive issues and don’t even know it. If we don’t allow the food in our stomach to digest properly, it’ll remain there, blocked. Putting more food on top of undigested food or partially digested food makes fertile ground for problems like bloating and gas. Over time, these ‘inconveniences’ can lead to more serious problems like IBS, constipation, acne, and even arthritis. The idea is to keep your digestive enzymes working properly and not buried under tons of food or drowned out by quarts of liquid. So what are your top three SUPER simple tips for helping people with joint pain, IBS or weight gain? Well, for joint pain, avoid nightshades - which are your tomatoes, white potatoes (Not sweet potatoes), eggplant, and peppers - all peppers except black pepper. These cause inflammation and aggravate arthritis. For IBS learn to avoid foods that do not combine well - like dairy and fruit for example, like in a shake. And use a few spices in your cooking like cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, & black pepper to name a few. They really help with digestion. For weight gain - a simple tip: hot water sipping throughout the day (or herbal teas, ginger tea). Avoid cold drinks and especially drinks with ice in them. The cold blocks your digestion and the food just sits in your stomach. Actually, we recommend this for EVERYONE, ALWAYS. It’s the simple, natural way to help your body detox. Some fun things coming up for us in the near future: Michelle and I are teaming up to bring you fun cooking classes and workshops to get you through the Holiday Season. Twin Ponds Integrative Center is having it’s 10th Anniversary Celebration Event! Look for those and other services on my website www.supersimplehealthy.com or facebook page and coming soon to the MINDBODY app! All events will be at the Twin Ponds Integrative Center in Breinigsville, right here in the Lehigh Valley. Michelle’s contact information: 720-745-3453 www.twinpondscenter.com 628 Twin Ponds Rd., Breinigsville. 18031 As always, please leave your comments on iTunes and feel free to share with friends and family. Until next time: Keep it simple. Be Healthy.

If you suffer from Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diarrhea, eczema, weight loss problems, urinary issues or allergies – this episode is for you! Today we’ll be talking about biotics – probiotics, antibiotics and prebiotics and how they affect ALL of these issues. The Biotic Woman Steve Austin, astronaut. A man barely alive. We can rebuild him. We have the technology… I know, we are talking about BIOTICs not BIONICS and I quoted the intro to the Six Million Dollar Man, not even the Bionic Woman – but there is no clever intro to the Bionic woman and after I read the “Six Million Dollar Man” intro I found it rather appropriate for this episode and that is because YOU can be rebuilt too, whether you’re a man or woman by adding probiotics and prebiotics into your diet. So first, I’ll explain what probiotics are, why they are important and then what to look for when purchasing one. Probiotics are the GOOD bacteria and yeast that live in your gut. Most of the time people associate bacteria as a bad thing, but there are good bacteria as well. The root of the word comes from the Greek word “pro” which means to promote and “biotic” meaning life. Probiotics help move food through your body and assimilate valuable nutrients like calcium and B vitamins. They keep your digestive tract healthy –and because 70% of your immune system is in your gut – that’s really important! Antibiotics are the chemical substances which, have the ability to kill disease causing microorganisms. They are effective against bacterial infections, not viral infections. The problem is, while antibiotics are effective in killing off bad bacteria, unfortunately, they will also kill off the good bacteria in your gut as well. They may also be responsible for adding to your abdominal fat! Remember that antibiotics are used as growth promoters in livestock... particularly to increase body fat levels and fat marbling of meat. It wouldn't be a far stretch to correlate this to increased visceral fat in humans as well. And just one more reason to buy organic meats that have not been injected with antibiotics – you are what you eat, eats! Whether you’ve taken antibiotics in the past or if you are currently taking antibiotics to treat a chronic bacterial infection, it is VERY important to also be take probiotics to keep those lil friendly bacteria going or to rebuild what has been lost. Just don’t take antibiotics and probiotics at the same time or the antibiotics will eliminate the beneficial bacteria immediately. You’ll want to wait at least 3 hours to take a probiotic after ingesting any antibiotics. So where can you find probiotics? You can get probiotics in some foods and also in supplements. The probiotic I take is called Prescript-Assist and also includes PREbiotics which feed your PRObiotics. (I know, one more thing). Some sources of PREbiotic foods are raw dandelion greens, raw garlic, raw or cooked onion, and raw bananas. Some examples of PRObiotics in foods are: yogurts, and kefir, which is kind of like drinkable yogurt in texture, fermented foods, like sauerkraut (not canned), kimchi, miso and kombucha tea. Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of some of these foods. I hadn’t either before I became a health coach. But most can be found in your local grocery store and it is important to have a variety to make sure you are getting the various strains of friendly bacteria and other microbes. It is important to note that not all yogurts or kefirs are created equal. Some yogurts will advertise as a source of probiotics, but are also full of sugar and if it’s been pasteurized, any live cultures will have been killed during the process, which eliminates any health benefits. For a complete description of what to look for, please visit my website at www.supersimplehealthy.com/downloads and look for the list called “Probiotics Review”.

Here we are back again! Last episode we were talking with Greg Schweitzer about how to reduce stress. The holidays are coming up and they certainly bring with them a lot of stress. During the last episode we talked about what meditation is and how it can help and now we are going to listen to specific examples of exactly how meditation has changed people’s lives. I’m sure will be fascinating to hear! One Simple Stress Solution – Part II Before we begin again I need to give a shout out to my youngest son, Ben, who just had a birthday. It was his BIG 1-0! So Happy Birthday Ben! And also to my mom – IDK if she’d want me to share her age, but she’s still with us and I’m certainly glad for that (And I’m sure she is too!) So happy Birthday mom! Welcome back Greg! You’ve been teaching meditation for over 40 years now and I’m sure you have countless stories to tell. A utility company executive attended an introductory class on Effortless Meditation and in the middle of the talk, he said “this sounds like it would be perfect for my company, stress related ailments are going through the roof.” A day or two later, he called and asked if I would come into speak to people at the company who were interested. He said he had told them that he found a way to reduce stress. He told them that it was a mental technique, meditation. Of course, I was delighted to speak to those interested. 50 people attended my talk, and the manager introduced me and told everyone that this meditation is a tool that they could use for the rest of their lives. He said one thing that he liked about it is that he didn’t need to drive across town to a gym to use it, and he didn’t need any equipment. He said he didn’t need to take a shower after he was done and he didn’t need to take his shoes off to do it. He said that it sounds very practical. Then things got really exciting because he told everyone that if they wanted to do this after hearing me speak, they would do it. This guy meant business. After I spoke, 40 of the 50 people who attended said “Sign me up!”. After the first group of 12 went through the EM instruction, the manager called me as said that people were saying that this was the best training that they ever had. A couple weeks later, I was invited to do more EM introduction classes as others in the company were inquiring about this. More and more enrolled; I taught meditation practically every day for the next 6 months at this company. At one point the Human Resources Director was quoted in the company newsletter as saying, “this is good for the company, people are more alert, more productive.” After a few weeks, they built a room in the offices to support people who wanted to meditate in the workplace – they called it their “quiet room.” Meditation has a profound effect on the mind as well as the body. These people were more alert and productive at work; research on student’s shows that their IQ scores go up, grades improve and learning ability increases. You know I’m sure there are people listening who are thinking – why is she even talking about stress and meditation when she’s a health coach? And what people don’t realize is what a HUGE factor stress is, not only on our overall health, but on your digestion. It has a big impact on whether or not your food will work for you or against you. Thanks again for being here Greg. I know meditation has made a big difference in my life. And I know you have SO many more stories you could share. • Once again, to get in touch with Greg Schweitzer, please give him a call at 610-670-6700, visit his website, www.StressReductionResources.com or you can find his information on my website www.supersimplehealthy.com/downloads - look for the "Simple Stress Solutions.doc" • For information on Greg’s EM courses in the Lehigh Valley, also see www.TwinPondsCenter.com. Until next time: Keep it simple. Be Healthy.

I can’t believe summer is almost at a close again. Just one more week and I’ve already seen Christmas decor in some of the stores! While fall is probably my favorite season, it is also the pre-cursor to the holiday season and the inevitable stress that comes with it. Today, I have with me Greg Schweitzer Director of Stress Reduction Resources who will be talking about one VERY simple solution for keeping stress at bay – ANY time of year! One Simple Stress Solution – Part I Hey Greg! Thanks for being here today! For most people, managing stress is a HUGE issue, so I’m sure this will be a popular episode. But before we continue, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background? I feel very fortunate that I found meditation 43 years ago. At the time, I was a stressed out Industrial Engineer working for Kraft Foods in the Lehigh Valley. One evening, a friend invited me to join him at an introductory lecture on Transcendental Meditation®. I liked what I heard at the lecture and decided to give meditation a try. I’ve been meditating every day since – usually 15 – 20 minutes – and it’s changed my life, maybe saved it. Ok, thank you for that. So let’s just jump in here. First, since you teach people how to meditate, can you explain exactly what it means to meditate, and then specifically, how it might impact a person’s stress? There are many styles of meditation. Today, I call what I teach Effortless Meditation™ (EM). During the meditation, your mind begins to settle down, becoming quieter. When the mind gets quiet, the body begins to rest deeply. The deep rest during EM melts stress away, it releases the pressure and tension inside. One of the things I really like about your program is that you make meditation so simple. I know a lot of people have heard about meditation and some have tried it and get discouraged because they can’t seem to “empty their mind”. What do you say to people when they tell you that? We don’t have to try to empty or quiet our mind, because it is already quiet but not on the conscious thinking level (the surface of the mind.) An illustration helps; the ocean is turbulent on the surface – lots of waves especially during a storm but even then, the ocean is quiet and peaceful at its depths. With a good technique and good instruction, you can learn to dive inside the mind and EFFORTLESSLY experience a calm, peaceful mind. That’s what I teach people to do. This meditation practice is effortless – that’s why I call it Effortless Meditation. Everyone is successful with it. In my 40 years of teaching, no one has ever said that it doesn’t work. OK Greg. Unfortunatley, we are running out of time! We only have 5 minutes here, and I’d love for you to share some of your success stories of how meditation has helped in different areas of people’s lives. So I guess what we’re going to do is to split this into two episodes! Be sure to tune in next week to hear all about what meditation can do for you! And in the meantime, if it’s already peaked your interest, please feel free to contact Greg on his website at: www.stressreductionresources.com, on my website: www.supersimplehealthy.com. or you can find him at the Twin Ponds Integrative Health Center right here in the Lehigh Valley! Until next time: Keep it simple. Be Healthy.

I can remember when, back in the 80’s soy was the next biggest health food, thought to help prevent breast cancer. But did you know, it can also cause a myriad of serious health problems? INCLUDING cancer! Today I’ll be talking about the good, bad and the ugly of soy. Bad Soy! Soy was first introduced back in the 1980’s as something that could help prevent cancer, specifically breast cancer. And some types of soy CAN be good for you and this is where it gets confusing. First I’ll review why soy is bad for you, and what kinds you want to avoid. Then we’ll go over the good stuff. Here are 3 of the biggest problems with soy: 1) First, soy contains phytoestrogens which is the plant source of the hormone estrogen. When men consume excessive estrogen it can lead to more feminine characteristics and lower testosterone. In young boys, genitals may not fully develop and for young girls, can result in premature menstruation. It can also have an effect on the brain and nervous system development in infants. – So NO Soy Formula please! In adult pre-menopausal, women, excess estrogen can increase your risk of polycystic ovary syndrome, cervical cancer and breast cancer. 2) Secondly, about 95% of the soy crops here in the U.S. are genetically modified (GMO). The American Academy of Environmental Medicine cite animal studies showing organ damage, gastrointestinal and immune system disorders, accelerated aging, and infertility. Human studies show how the genes inserted into GM soy, can transfer into the DNA of bacteria living inside us. As JJ Virgin points out in her book “The Virgin Diet”: “The big companies have figured out how to genetically modify soy so it can be sprayed with a potent herbicide that kills everything around it without destroying the soy crop. These poisons go into the soybeans and then into the persons who consume it. Or the soy is fed to cattle or farm-raised fish and then consumed by people.” Either way, it finds its way to you. One important thing to point out here is that genetically modified foods kill off the good bacteria in your gut, which has a damaging effect on your immune system and can lead to serious illness. 3) And third, soy is bad for your thyroid. When people eat soy every day, their thyroid-stimulating hormone (or TSH) becomes elevated which is an indicator of hypothyroidism. In short, stay away from soymilk, ice cream, yogurt, cheese, soy protein like tofu or edamame, soy protein powders, energy bars or shakes, soy veggie burgers, soy sauce, or teriyaki sauce. So what kind of soy IS GOOD for you? Well, in women over 50 or those who have gone through menopause, excess estrogen can be a good thing. But here, you still want to look for non-GMO, or fermented, organic soy products such as miso, natto, (nah-TOE) tempeh, and tamari sauce. Fermenting a food increases its probiotics which help boost your immune system and can help women in this category to alleviate hot flashes and protect against the development of cancer. One exception is soy lecithin, which is a common ingredient in some supplements, protein bars or gluten free foods because soy lecithin is protein free and used in such a small percentage. To recap: Stay away from processed soy products and any soy that is GMO. If you’re going to eat soy, make sure it is organic, and in it’s fermented form. And if you need a dairy replacement, try almond milk, coconut milk or goats milk products. As always, any questions, send me and email or leave a comment! Until next time: Keep it simple. Be Healthy.

Stop burning the midnight oil and start sleeping your weight away! Believe it or not how much sleep you get has a huge impact on whether or not you will be able to lose weight. Today I have with me Ronee Welch, an expert in the health field who helps her clients to shed light on the importance of sleep and teaches them to catch more Z’s in order to let go of those extra pounds. The Connection between Sleep and Weight Loss Ronee welcome! I am so glad to have you here! Before we go further, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you started in this area of expertise? Thanks for having me! I’m Ronee Welch, and I’m the owner of Sleeptastic Solutions. I’m certified in both child and adult sleep, as well as being an infant massage educator, lactation counselor, and parenting coach. I’m married with 4 children, ages 5 through 17. So I actually started Sleeptastic Solutions with the intention of just helping parents teach their children how to sleep independently through the night. But very quickly, I realized that for some parents, their sleep issue didn’t go away after their child was sleeping better. Many parents and adults of all ages have trouble sleeping, so I decided to learn more about all the things that affect our sleep and see how I could help children, teens, and adults. So when talking about weight loss it’s hard for many people to see the connection with sleep. Can you tell us more about why it’s a key factor? Sure. When we’re sleep deprived, the last thing we are thinking about is cooking a healthy meal! In fact, the less sleep we get, the more our bodies crave the bad stuff, like salty, sugary, and fatty foods. You are also going to have a hard time with wanting to exercise, if you’re tired. And if you don’t exercise or keep active, then you’ll have a hard time losing weight. How do you know if you’re not getting enough sleep? What sort of symptoms would a person have? Well, the first thing is that you feel very sleepy in the morning and throughout the day. Other symptoms include mood changes, memory problems, trouble concentrating, a lack of focus, being easily frustrated, and short-tempered. So, can you give a couple of simple tips you might tell your clients to help them get more sleep? And what if they work a night shift or have a young child that wakes up in the middle of the night? I’d be glad to! There are many things that affect a person’s poor sleep, but I’m going to give you 5 simple tips now to get you started on the basics. You can learn more about why these things and others are important if you check out the Teens and Adults Services portion of my website. So… 1) turn off electronics at least 30mins before bed so you don’t suppress your melatonin production (that’s what helps to make us sleepy) 2) have a regular bedtime that allows you to get about 8hrs of sleep each night 3) have your bedroom dark with a room temperature of about 65 degrees 4) avoid big or heavy meals late at night, as they can make your sleep restless 5) avoid having energy or caffeine drinks within 6hrs of bedtime, because the effects of it can take that long to stop being felt and it can actually take up to 14hrs to leave your system altogether If you work night shift, these tips are still very important. Added to that are ear plugs or a white noise machine to help with daytime noises, as well as dark curtains and a sleep mask to trick your mind into thinking its night. And if you’re up because your child is waking you up, then you need to work on helping your child learn these same skills so you can all sleep well! If you need help getting that done, just let me know! You can visit my website at www.sleeptasticsolutions.com, where I have free resources, tips, and blogs. I also offer free 15min phone assessments, where we can discuss your unique sleep situation either for your own sleep or your child’s. You can set up your call directly through my website or you can call me at 484-951-0902.

Welcome to the Super Simple Healthy Podcast! This is Christina Moyes. Got Milk? Got Cheese? Got disease? It has been touted as healthy and one of the essential food groups, necessary for developing strong bones and teeth and preventing osteoporosis. But, there are many who say that dairy does more harm than good. Can consuming dairy products lead to serious health problems? That’s what I’ll be talking about in today’s episode. Dairy, Dairy, Quite Contrary Dairy has been listed as one of the major food groups on the USDA food pyramid for as long as I can remember. So HOW could anyone say it’s not good for you? First, we’ll examine the purpose of dairy, then some of the concerns around it, what steps you can take to decide if it’s right for you and finally how to really build strong bones. Let’s start by examining cow’s milk as that is the basis for most dairy products we consume in the U.S. The purpose of any animal’s milk, human or otherwise, is to help their babies grow bigger. Cow’s milk is intended to help a baby calf grow from 90lbs at birth to a 1000lb heifer in just two years! Compare that to humans who are 6-8 lbs at birth and take 20 years to grow to full maturity at 100-200lbs. Milk is a medium for transporting insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which is strongly implicated in prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, premenopausal breast cancer and lung cancer. In nine separate studies, the most consistent dietary factor linked with prostate cancer was a high consumption of milk or dairy products. Other studies have proven that dairy products are a leading cause in problems like irritable bowel syndrome, obesity, mineral, nutrient, and amino acid deficiencies. And even more studies have shown that, in countries that consume little or no dairy, rates of osteoporosis are much lower than here in the U.S.! As this is a 5-minute healthy bite – there are many more details around this subject in my latest newsletter. Feel free to hop on and subscribe at www.supersimplehealthy.com. Did I ever mention that when I was a kid, I was the best milk-drinker in my house? I also started having bad acne at the age of 9 that didn’t stop until I was almost 30yrs old. And that’s because I started on a new skin care system that managed the symptoms of the acne, but didn’t heal the source of the problem. Up until about 5yrs ago, I ate dairy on a regular basis. I ate everything from milk twice a day to cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, cream cheese and sour cream. I also suffered congestion every morning and chronic fatigue. By themselves, these symptoms may not seem like a big deal. But these are indications of inflammation within the body. When you have a cold or a skin problem – a rash, rosacea, acne, psoriasis that is your body trying to expel toxins! When we suppress these symptoms with over the counter drugs we are literally pushing them back into our system. Take the hint and play detective. Look at your diet and lifestyle and make some adjustments. To determine whether dairy is something you personally want to avoid, try taking it out of your diet for 2 weeks. You will need to take out ALL dairy products, not just milk. After 2 weeks, try having a glass of milk with a meal or a cheeseburger, but don’t overdue. You may not have an immediate reaction. Symptoms of dairy sensitivity can show up anywhere from an hour to 72 hours later. For a complete list of symptoms to watch for, visit my website at www.supersimplehealthy.com/downloads. The good news is, a food sensitivity CAN be healed over time. It does not mean you can NEVER enjoy dairy again. For additional support around this or other health related issues, visit my website and click on “schedule now” to set up an appointment either in person or over the phone. And last but not least, to build strong bones, focus on these 4 Simple things: Don’t smoke, avoid excessive alcohol, limit caffeine and increase exercise! Until next time: Keep it simple. Be Healthy.

Ever have trouble getting your kids to eat healthier? Nah! Me neither. My kids BEG me to let them eat Broccoli! In today’s episode I’ll share some simple strategies and tips for helping you get your kids to eat better, feel better and set them up for a future of good health. Begging for Broccoli Ok. So it’s not entirely true. My kids don’t actually BEG me to give them broccoli. But I will say, they probably eat healthier than most kids their age. This episode could be interesting and I almost feel like whispering because my boys are actually in the studio here with me today listening to all of this – so I’d rather NOT give ALL my secrets away! However, I will give a couple of tips that will be helpful for you. First I’d like to briefly talk about why this is SO important and dear to my heart. I love my children and I’m sure you love your children too. And like me, you want them to grow up to be strong, confident, caring individuals that go on to share their gifts with the world. And the obvious answer to the question of why would you want to make sure your kids eat healthy, is that you want all of those things for them. But here is the reality. The number of overweight children ages 6–19 has more than tripled since 1980. Given current trends, one out of three children born in the year 2000 will develop diabetes over the course of a lifetime.
 Yet many chronic diseases could be prevented, delayed, or alleviated, through simple lifestyle changes. 
 The U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimates that eliminating three risk factors – poor diet, inactivity, and smoking – would prevent: 80% of heart attack and stroke, 80% of type 2 diabetes, and 40% of cancer. In regards to autoimmune diseases, Virginia T. Ladd, President and Executive Director of the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, stated: Quote, "With the rapid increase in autoimmune diseases, it clearly suggests that environmental factors are at play due to the significant increase in these diseases. Genes do not change in such a short period of time." End quote. I think you get the picture. So here are my top 3 strategies for starting kids on a healthier diet: 1) Keep it simple – start with one or two things at a time. I started by cutting out all the sugary cereals and looking for cereals with less than 6g of sugar per serving. And introduce one new vegetable per meal – they can help you pick something out at the grocery store. You might even let them help prepare it. Try adding a small amount to their plate and before they can leave the table or enjoy seconds or have a dessert, they have to eat it all. It’s a small amount to begin with! 2) Don’t give up. My kids argued and didn’t always eat what I gave them. Now they try anything I give them at least once. The important thing is NOT TO GIVE UP. Often times it’s an acquired taste or a certain way you prepare it the 5th time around. And before I tell you the last strategy I have to tell a quick story about when my oldest son Cooper ... So my third strategy is: 3) Take an honest look at YOUR relationship and attitude toward healthy eating, especially when it comes to vegetables. For your kid’s sake. If you’re not already, start experimenting and STOP lamenting over eating healthy. They will adopt your attitude. If you want to learn how to make cooking healthy SUPER SIMPLE and delicious, please contact me or visit my website and click on “schedule now”. I host Healthy 101 Cooking class at Twin Ponds Integrative Center in Breinigsville, PA. Check my website for dates and times or set up a party with your friends! Until next time: Keep it simple. Be Healthy.

Parenthood IS WONDERFUL but can be challenging to say the least and although no license is required to become a parent, there are certainly hundreds of books trying to help guide us through this maze. Today, I have a special guest, Suzanne Hastie (licensed professional counselor and board-certified dance/movement therapist) who is going to give us a couple of simple clues that your child shows you by HOW THEY MOVE that will give you better understanding of what they are communicating and how to deepen your connection with them from as early as birth! Understanding Movement to Deepen Connection Welcome! I am so excited to have you here! Before we dive in, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background? Thanks, Christina, I have been practicing as a therapist with children and families for 27 years. I have special expertise in nonverbal communication and developmental movement that can really help parents understand their children better as well as themselves. I studied with Dr. Judith Kestenberg, a noted psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, & researcher who spent her entire life studying the movement of parents’ and children and its’ meaning. Her work informs what I do now. Why is it important for parents to learn how to read their child’s movements? Well, so much of communication is nonverbal—becoming more conscious of it helps parents form better attachments with their children and vice versa. Better attachments help children feel accepted, understood and more secure; they also help children to better accept limits from their parents’ and to develop emotional intelligence. Can you give us a couple of examples of what movements parents can look for – maybe one for an infant and one for an older child and what those movements may indicate? Certainly--in the first year of life, there are two main rhythms—both begin in the mouth—the first is sucking—we see it during breastfeeding, taking a bottle, when babies bring fingers & other objects to their mouth, this rhythm helps the baby take in nourishment, self-sooth, and attach. The second rhythm is snapping/biting; this rhythm helps the baby literally bite down (to relieve gum pain from teeth coming) and become aware of being separate from their parents. For older children between 4 and 6 years, jumping and spurting/ramming rhythms are in full force. Children this age jump everywhere, interrupt, intrude, show off. They’re super excited; they love superheroes. As their jumping & intruding becomes more developed, they can start acting aggressive and even enjoy ramming into their parents’ or others—which can be challenging. A helpful hint for parents of children who are 4-6 is to give them outlets for their high energy. Give them opportunities to show off, be a superhero or shoot baskets. Let them intrude into the world, but to do it in ways that are safe. And finally, is there any advice for parents of children over 6 or is it really something you need to start to learn when they are young? Well thank you so much Suzanne, I know this is just the tip of the iceberg of what you have to offer. For more information or to sign up for one of Suzanne’s amazing workshops we are starting a new series of Workshops in September called “Connect and Create”. It will be held Tuesdays from 11:30am-12:30pm at the Twin Ponds Integrative Center in Breinigsville. For a list of dates, times, and location… visit my website, www.supersimplehealthy.com and click on “Schedule Now”. Or you can email Suzanne directly at: suzannehastie@aol.com

I am sure I haven’t shared this before, but I am a single mom. Every other week I have my kids and believe it or not, it’s harder for me to make meals when they aren’t with me. I’m just not forced to bring food in or go out to the store as much. When they are with me, time is extra short, often scooting out to the next activity. Today I’m going to share with you a couple of my secrets to making simple healthy meals when my kids are with me and what I do when they are not. Secrets to Simple Healthy Meals Whether you’re single, have kids part time or full time, finding time to make a homemade meal is tricky. Why is it important to make meals at home? Fast food and take out is ok once in a while. We usually order in once a week and I like to go to brunch on Sundays. But the biggest reason I don’t do it more often is simply for my health and the health of my children. Fast food uses ingredients that do damage to the body leaving it weaker and more susceptible to illness and a host of other health problems. No thanks. When you cook at home, you chose what goes in. It’s that simple. Believe me, if there were healthier options for eating out, I’d do it more often. But there aren’t. So, how do I make breakfast, lunch and dinner for my family 19/21 meals each week? I keep it simple. Fortunately, my boys are old enough to fix themselves breakfast. I keep some healthier options for cereal on hand, and protein shakes and I teach them how to mix in other ingredients for added benefits that don’t taste like you’re eating grass. For lunch they do the sandwich thing. I’m hoping to be able to wean them off of those someday, but until then, I do the best I can. I use organic peanut or almond butter and instead of jelly, I’ll often add banana slices, apple slices or strawberry slices. Other options are adding raisins, coconut flakes or drizzling raw honey on top. For variety, I may give them organic honey roasted or smoked turkey breast with mustard, sliced tomato, pickles and some kind of green. Sometimes I’ll even add a little bacon! But the most often asked question I get when my boys are with me is: “What’s for dinner”? When planning my meals for the week, I have a simple formula. For instance, most Tuesdays are “taco Tuesdays”. I’ve taught my older sons how to cut up onions, peppers and tomatoes so they help me out and save me some time. For variety, we may change the meat from beef to ground turkey, chicken or even shrimp. For those of you who remember: Wednesdays are “Prince spaghetti days” – although we don’t use that sauce, it’s just a simple reminder to have our pasta or vegetarian meal that night. My last tip for today is to make every meal in excess. Don’t make just enough, cook ALL of the vegetable or ALL of the meat at once. Don’t save some for another day. What tends to happen is something unexpected comes up and you’ll dash out the door, leaving the veggies to eventually rot in the refrigerator and you are forced to pick up take out on the way. Instead, you’ll have leftovers and can mix and match later in the week, even if you’re dashing out the door. In my 30 minute meals class I teach how to easily transform one dinner into another. When I don’t have my kids I make myself a lot of Buddha bowls. It’s a simple combination of one green, one grain, one vegetable, one protein and one sauce. I make a bunch, and eat different mixtures all week. Really helps to clean out the refrigerator too! As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. Please leave your comments on iTunes and feel free to share your favorite episodes! Until next time: Keep it simple. Be Healthy.

If you have tried countless diets, cutting calories and increasing exercise, acting under the “eat less, move more to lose weight” philosophy, this is going to be a treat. Today I’m going to tell you about an approach that says you can eat what you want, move less and still lose weight. Slow down to increase your metabolism! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: People are not calorie banks but chemistry sets. Most often, when someone finds out I am a Holistic Health Coach, they start asking me questions about what they should eat or apologize for what they eat now. What is often ignored is the key word “Holistic” and the concept that it is more than just food that has an impact on our health. In fact, it is much more. Being able to burn calories and sustain a healthy weight isn’t just about WHAT we eat, but WHO WE ARE BEING when we eat. In Marc David’s book “The Slow Down Diet” he explains that metabolism is defined as “the sum total of all of the chemical reactions in the body, plus the sum total of all our thoughts, feelings, beliefs and experiences.” Research in the mind-body sciences has demonstrated clearly the connection between what we think and feel and the chemistry of the body. Stress, relaxation, pleasure, depression, prayer, pets and other people have a profound effect on our lives. You could probably think of a time in your life when you were feeling down, had low energy and felt a bit sluggish then someone calls you and says they have two tickets to your favorite band and you’re going! Suddenly your adrenaline kicks in and you can feel your body start humming again, you feel more alive and in a great mood. That’s how quickly your metabolism can change. We lose power when we surrender our dignity and inner authority to a job, money, hurtful emotions and a life of speed. Personal power and metabolic power are one and the same. I highly recommend reading Marc David’s book. In it, he goes into much greater detail than I can in these 5 minutes, but here I will give you three strategies for turning on your metabolic power: First, upgrade the quality of your food. Remove any processed, low fat, artificially sweetened, sugar free foods in exchange for nutrient dense, whole foods and organic produce, meats and dairy when possible. For more about when to buy organic, listen to the previous episode #4. When the body is receiving the nutrients it desires, it doesn’t call for more. Second: don’t skip meals. Did you know that the body naturally metabolizes food most efficiently around noon? So, eat a good quality breakfast, a larger, good quality lunch and a small, good quality dinner. Give the body a chance to digest while you sleep and avoid eating late at night. Lastly, SLOW DOWN and ENJOY your food. It may sound weird, but practice breathing deeply, put your fork or sandwich down in between bites. Rushing through puts the body in digestive stress which decreases it’s ability to burn calories. Pay attention to things like the smell, texture and taste of the food. In short; be present while you’re eating. Human beings always seek pleasure over pain and eating is one of those great pleasures. But when we rush through it, we miss the experience and the body thinks you skipped it, making you want to eat more. So take time to eat and enjoy! If you ever need help with your kitchen skills or simple healthy meal ideas, just log onto my website, www.supersimplehealthy.com and check out the list of cooking classes by clicking on the “Schedule Now” button. Until next time: Keep it simple. Be Healthy.

The four foods I’ll be talking about today are guaranteed NOT to be on your grocery list or found in any supermarket. But they are all absolutely essential and even more effective in making you happy than chocolate (gasp). And can even help you lose weight. 4 Foods for Happiness So what are these four “happiness foods” and why are they so important? When I was a student the Institute for Integrative Nutrition this was one of the first concepts we were taught. If you look on my website, www.supersimplehealthy.com on the downloads page, you will find a link to the IIN MyPlate document. At first glance, it looks very similar to the USDA’s version of MyPlate which illustrates a dinner plate divided into four sections of fruits, vegetables, protein, and grains with a cup of dairy on the top right corner. However, if you look closer at the IIN MyPlate you will notice a few key differences. First, in place of the cup of dairy is a cup of water. Next to it, I like to joke is your “shot glass” of fats and oils. The inner portion of the plate is the same as the USDA’s version. But the RIM of the plate is most interesting. There are four words written around the outside of the plate. They are: RELATIONSHIPS, CAREER, PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL. These are what we were taught are PRIMARY foods. They come before and are more important than the food in the center of the plate, called SECONDARY foods. Your relationship, spiritual, physical activity and career health are those foods that can make you happy or miserable. And what happens when one of those areas is out of balance is that people tend to reach for other substances to fill that hole… Like food, alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex, or something else, and sometimes to the point of addiction. When one of the primary foods is causing stress or frustration or sadness, people react with emotion instead of logic and reach for something that will give immediate pleasure to feel good in the moment. The opposite can also be true. If you can recall a really fun date, maybe your first dates with your spouse, where you were having SO much fun that you lost track of time and suddenly it’s 2am and you had forgotten to eat? That is an example of when your primary foods are full or overflowing. Emotions are the reason we do ANYTHING. If people like how they are feeling in the moment, they want it to keep going. If they don’t like how they are feeling, they want it to stop as soon as possible so the question that gets asked internally is: “what will make me feel good NOW?” And the emotion doesn’t have to be dramatic, it can be something as simple as boredom. In some ways getting addicted to a substance like alcohol is easier because it’s not necessary for our survival and people CAN quit, thanks to support groups like AA. But food is something we need to survive. In this instance, the first step is to become aware that this is what is happening. When you start to head to the refrigerator or pantry first stop and ask yourself if what you’re feeling is really hunger – or is it boredom, loneliness, sadness, frustration or anxiety. If you’re not sure, then reach for a glass of water and drink that first. There are occasions when dehydration can be mistaken for hunger as most people don’t get enough water throughout the day. Wait a ½ hr or so, if you still feel hungry, go ahead and grab a healthy snack that will nourish you. If you feel the need for more support around this or other health related issues, please feel free to set an appointment with me by visiting my website at www.supersimplehealthy.com and click on “schedule now”. Until next time: Keep it simple. Be Healthy.

Whether you’re traveling for business or just on vacation, eating and being healthy while on the road can be tough. That’s what I’ll be talking about today. On the road again…How to be healthy while traveling Eating healthy and exercising whether traveling for business or pleasure can be challenging. And it can be especially frustrating when you’re actively trying to upgrade your health. Why does this seem to be so hard and what can you do? I used to travel a lot for work. Before becoming a Health Coach, I was a Multimedia Designer and would travel all over the country anywhere from 4-10 days at a time as often as 8 times in 10 months. I worked with a great group of people from a Production company in NY called Legend Productions and we always sought out the best sushi places wherever we went. Other than that though, my overall health objective was to get through the project in one piece so that I might reward myself with a massage at a spa somewhere on location. Food and exercise were not my highest priority. Nowadays though, it’s a different story. Being gluten and dairy free and knowing what I know, a bagel and schmear or a low-fat, blueberry muffin doesn’t cut it anymore let alone going through the “golden arches” for breakfast. In order to ensure your best health, you really need to know what is going into your food and the source of the food. And you really don’t have control over what’s in your food once you step outside your own kitchen. There are choices though. So here are my top 3 tips for staying healthy while traveling: First, recognize that you DON’T have much control. If you don’t have a choice over which restaurant you go to, you can look at any menu and do the best with what is available. Even fast food joints have salads. Skip the dressing or use just ½ the monster packet they give you. If it’s nicer than fast food, look for baked or broiled fish or meats instead of breaded or fried. And instead of the baked potato, see if you can substitute steamed vegetables or a sweet potato. Second, if you’re lucky enough to have a kitchenette in your hotel or even just a mini-fridge, stock up on some apples from the local grocery store. Bring a travel blender and a few packets of protein shakes. You can easily blend a packet with water for a quick, filling breakfast or snack on the go. For a list of my favorite brands and top 25 healthy snacks on the go, visit my website www.supersimplehealthy.com/downloads . And finally, if you’re pressed for time and the thought of trying to squeeze in exercise just adds to your stress, skip it. I know. Sounds bad. But if you have to choose, it’s more important for your health to take a break every 50 minutes when you’re working to stretch and breathe. This will help your digestive system by bringing it into a state of “rest and digest” and will also increase your work productivity. Try this simple breathing exercise I call “5,5,7”: breathe in through your nose for a count of 5, making sure not to tense up any other part of your body, hold the breath for a count of 5, and then exhale through the mouth for 7 seconds. Repeat this for one minute or at least 5 times in a row. You can do this any time of day while sitting at a desk, driving in a car, or at the table before you begin any meal. Hope that was helpful. Remember to leave your comments on iTunes and feel free to share this or any episode with friends and family. Until next time: Keep it simple. Be Healthy.

Have you ever been on a diet where once you’ve met your goal weight, you find that within a few months or a year after your “diet” ends, it all comes back and then some? Today, I will share with you my top 3 tips on how to make your weight loss STICK. I will be addressing FOOD during this episode, but also recognize that sustainable weight loss also means incorporating mental, physical and spiritual fitness into your life. Lose Weight, Keep it Off! So what is the secret to losing weight and keeping it off? First, recognize that there is no weight loss program you can follow forever. Everyone has a “diet”. Like Glenda the good witch would say: It’s either a “good diet” or a “bad diet”. Many people actually don’t eat ENOUGH food. They’re just eating the WRONG type of foods and cutting back on those foods or switching to salads all day will only serve a temporary fix. If you want different results, you need to do things differently. This means learning new things about food and which ones work or don’t work specifically for you. It takes some experimentation, but after a while, you won’t have to think about it anymore. Wouldn’t that be nice?? I work with my clients on an individual basis to help them understand which foods work for them. The next step is to start by just taking small, SIMPLE steps. BABY steps. Have you ever been around a baby trying to learn to walk? I never counted the number of times my boys had to try to learn how to walk, but it could be over a hundred. And that’s just to get to the first step. Then they bobbled about, falling down regularly for a couple of years. Now they don’t have to think about it. Yet somehow as people become adults, they expect to be able to decide to make a change in their lives within a few weeks! They “fall off the wagon” after a bad day or at a party. Maybe they get back on only to fall off again later then BOOM, in comes the negative self-talk: “What am I doing? I’ll never be able to do this. This is my third diet this year and I still can’t get it right. I’ll just be back to where I am as soon as I stop.” CHANGE TAKES TIME. It’s a process. Imagine if a baby had this same thought process: “Geez. This is harder than it looks. I’ve gotten up 5 times today already and I still can’t get it. This is hopeless. I guess it’s just not meant to be.” If we’d all let that happen, we’d still be crawling on the ground, pooping our pants and getting dressed by our parents! Baby steps in your diet can be simple things like: 1) Drinking more water 2) Cutting down on sugar 3) Learning to read food labels 4) Adding more greens and vegetables into your diet 5) Experimenting with one new recipe a week 6) Going for a 20 minute walk 7) Try a yoga, boxing or Zumba class Don’t do ALL of these things at once. Choose 1-2 MAX and commit for two weeks. Then add on, every other week but don’t stop the other habits. And lastly, and most importantly people have to start associating more pleasure with the outcome of losing the weight than the PAIN of acquiring it. Now you may be saying – well of course losing weight will give me more pleasure! That’s what I REALLY want! But most people place their focus of a diet on the deprivation, starvation and the pain of exercise. No wonder it doesn’t work! Think of the baby’s motivation: “Oh my gosh, look at those kids running around, that looks like so much fun – how did mom get to the other side of the room so fast? Dad can reach ALL the toys! Oh I can’t WAIT! NOTHING’s going to stop me!” What is DRIVING YOU? What will it FEEL like when you really get what you want? How BAD does it feel to be where you are now? What things will you be able to do that you can’t do now? How will that FEEL? Changing your FOCUS, will change your OUTCOME. I go into more detail on these and other points in my workshops so remember to check my website calendar for upcoming dates. Until next time: Keep it Simple. Be Healthy.

Welcome back! This is Christina Moyes. Fatty Fat McFattersen: FACTs about FATs FAT IS GOOD FOR YOU! That is the big headline for today. Specifically, I’ll be addressing SATURATED FAT. Yes - I said SATURATED FATS ARE GOOD FOR YOU. I’ll be talking about how this can POSSIBLY BE, how it’s been misconstrued over the last several decades and what fats you really want to avoid. FAT IS GOOD FOR YOU! Saturated fat is good for you – say what? We have been told for – well since I was growing up in the 70’s that saturated fats like butter and animal fats lead to heart disease. But Nay! Not so. This myth is largely in place due to inconclusive research done in the 1950’s by a man named Ancel Keys . His study not only failed to connect saturated fat with heart disease, but failed to include other risk factors like smoking, stress, poor diet and lifestyle or exercise habits. And there have been no studies following his that have been able to directly link saturated fats with heart disease either. In fact, those that have come close have included the intake of artificial trans fats which, are the REAL culprit, and I’ll talk about those later, but first let’s review the BENEFITS of saturated fats. The brain is made up of 2/3’s fat and brain cell membranes are made of Essential Fatty Acids . So fat is not only essential for brain health, but also for energy, metabolism, hormones, healthy skin, eyes and bones as well as reproductive health and growth. The three most common types of saturated fats are Stearic acid, Palmitic acid and Lauric acid. One thing they have in common is that while they do raise LDL (bad cholesterol levels) they also raise the good HDL cholesterol levels even more. I’ve talked a bit about Lauric acid in the previous episode “Eat These, Lose Weight”. You will find it in coconut oil and it can help boost your immune system and even lower abdominal fat. Specifically, you will want to look for QUALITY types of saturated fat like: Cold-Pressed Unrefined Coconut Oil, cold-pressed olive oils, Raw, unpasteurized butter and organic meats like chicken, beef, lamb, fish and duck. What you want to stay away from are Trans Fats. These types of fats are actually banned in several countries for good reason! They raise the bad cholesterol, lower good cholesterol and leave behind a sludge in the arteries which can build up over time, making a perfect storm that can lead to heart disease. THESE ARE THE BAD GUYS! Trans fats are used in this country because they are cheaper to use and extend shelf life. They’re found in processed foods and baked goods and are listed on the ingredients label as “hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable or other types of oils”. Packaging can be deceiving. If something is labeled “0 Trans fats” on the front of the package, DON’T take their word for it. If a product has 0.5g of trans fats, it can still be labeled as 0g Trans fats! So check the ingredients list and keep in mind that you need to consider how many servings you are eating of each product. Know how much you are eating and try to avoid them. Stay away from margarines or fake butter spreads. It may be counter-intuitive, but use organic or raw full fat butter or the previously mentioned sources of quality fats – all in moderation! For more clarity or help in deciphering your specific health needs, visit my website www.supersimplehealthy.com, and register for your private “Simple Health Discovery Session”. Until next time: Keep it Simple. Be Healthy.

Feel the Burn! Whether going on vacation or just out for a day of fun, the last thing you want to worry about is a painful sunburn or worse yet, skin cancer. In recent years we’ve all been told to be sure to slather on the sunscreen before you head out. But do you know if the one you have is REALLY working? Today I’ll be talking about why sun protection matters, what to do when you DO get sunburn, and review some of the most effective and least effective sunscreens on the market today. Sunscreen, Sunburn, No Fun Last week when I picked up my kids I noticed my oldest son had gotten some sun. He is blonde and fair skinned and in the beginning of the summer he usually gets some kind of burn before it turns to tan. But this time, the following day he experienced sunburn itch on his chest, back and shoulders. One of the best ways to naturally treat sunburn is by applying the soft sticky gel of an aloe plant. My mom used to keep one in her bathroom and we would just cut off a fat leaf and open it up. Other natural home remedies are: Taking a cool bath and adding: • 1C apple cider vinegar (balances the PH and promotes healing). • Adding Oatmeal to the bath eases the itch! • Lavendar or Chamomile essential oils relieve some of the stinging. • 2C Baking soda will help ease irritation and redness from the burn. • Apply cool, not cold, milk or yogurt to the affected areas can also be soothing to the skin. So other than the painful burn that can come from getting too much sun, why do we need sun protection and which sunscreens are most effective? We need protection from the powerful rays of the sun. Specifically, UVA and UVB rays. Look for sunscreens that protect from both. UVB rays are short range and are the ones that cause sunburns to the skin, but UVA rays are actually more abundant and consistent in intensity throughout the year. These sneaky rays cause damage to your immune system and aging of the skin over time. Too much exposure to UVA rays has also been linked to different types of skin cancers and since it does damage the immune system, it makes fighting off the cancer more difficult. There is NO perfect sunscreen. Even mineral based sunscreens can contain ingredients that can cross the blood-brain barrier and also harm aquatic life. And unlike other lotions, we apply thick layers sometimes several times throughout the day. That is why it is so important to look for the safest sunscreens and recognize that you can’t rely on them for overexposure. Here are just a few of the best and the worst sunscreens out there: 1. All Good Unscented Sunstick, SPF 30 2. Bare Belly Organics Sunscreen, SPF 30 3. Goddess Garden Organics Everyday Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30 4. Aveeno Baby Continuous Protection Sensitive Skin Sunscreen, SPF 30 And the worst: 1. Banana Boat Kids Continuous Sunscreen Spray, SPF 100 2. Banana Boat Kids Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 100 3. Coppertone Sunscreen Foaming Lotion Sunscreen Kids Wacky Foam, SPF 70 4. Coppertone Sunscreen Continuous Spray Kids, SPF 70 Finally, be wary of super high SPF claims. The U.S. hasn’t approved ingredients that would do a better job of broad-spectrum protection. Other countries usually cap their SPF at 50. For a longer list of good vs bad sunscreens, visit my website: www.supersimplehealthy.com. Until next time: Keep it Simple. Be Healthy.

Welcome to the Super Simple Healthy Podcast! This is Christina Moyes. I’ve mentioned in previous episodes about the POWER of food. How food can have an effect on your mood, how fast your hair and nails grow, the glow of your skin, the clarity of your thoughts and of course, on your waistline. Today I’ll be sharing a couple of powerhouse foods that can actually help you shed pounds without dieting. Eat These, Lose Weight So what is all this about the POWER of food? After studying Nutrition at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition I realized that food is SO much more than something that alleviates the grumbling our stomachs. We are a part of the ecosystem on this Earth. And every plant on it is here to not just help us survive – but THRIVE! The nutrients in plants work together to nourish the cells in every animal and human so that we can all function to our highest potential. It’s all part of the cycle. When people do not receive those nutrients on a regular basis, the body starts to react and break down creating exhaustion, confusion and mood swings. I always tell my clients we are not calorie banks, but chemistry sets. Every ingredient has a purpose. Some help boost your metabolism, suppress appetite and stabilize blood sugar, all key elements in weight loss. Here are three foods that help you do just that: 1) Coconut Oil. Coconuts have shown up as the latest craze these past couple of years. It has multiple uses and benefits, but as far as weight loss is concerned here’s how Coconut Oil can help. Coconut oil has special fats called Medium Chain Triglycerides, or MCT’s. It has been shown that breaking down these types of healthy fats in the liver leads to more efficient burning of energy. And one study in 2009 found that women who consumed about 2 TBSP of coconut oil daily for 12 weeks had lower amounts of abdominal fat, a type that can be very difficult to lose and can contribute to more heart problems. Coconuts can also help the body resist viruses and bacteria that can cause illness, fight off yeast, fungus and candida. One word of caution though, coconut oil is still considered a saturated fat. Keep your daily intake to no more than 2 TBSP daily. For that reason, I recommend using it for cooking, baking or frying. You can also add a tablespoon to your morning smoothie or as a moisturizer on your body and add a little to your hair for added softness and shine (too much can leave your hair looking and feeling greasy if you don’t wash it out.) 2) Apple Cider Vinegar or ACV. The acetic acid found within ACV suppresses appetite and reduces water retention which, can stop you from gaining excess fat and holding too much water weight. It also increases metabolism, making it easier to burn off calories you’ve eaten throughout the day. • For an easy way to down this super cider, just start with 10 ounces of water, add 2 TBSP ACV, and 2 TBSP honey or maple syrup. Best to drink first thing in the morning! • Or for a Super Simple Salad Dressing, start with 1 part ACV to 3 parts EVOO, add a couple tsps. Honey, Mustard, salt & pepper to taste. 3) And last, but not least, our dearest vegetable villain: Broccoli. Broccoli is high in fiber of course, but also aids in digestion, prevents constipation, keeps blood sugar low and therefore helps to keep you from overeating. And an added bonus: broccoli has as much protein in one cup as rice or corn with half the calories! That’ll do it for today. I hope that was helpful. You can check out my website for more foods that help you lose weight and one of my favorite broccoli recipes at www.supersimplehealthy.com. Until next time: Keep it Simple Be Healthy.

Welcome to the Super Simple Healthy Podcast! This is Christina Moyes. Sugar addiction. I hear it all the time. I can’t get away from the sweet stuff! Do you crave sweets and no matter how hard you try, they keep calling your name? Today we’ll talk about why controlling sugar is so important, which sugars to avoid and a couple of simple steps you can take to get off the sugar rollercoaster! Safely Sweet Sugar addiction seems to be an increasing problem. People crave sugar throughout the day and can’t seem to stop no matter how hard they try to “be good”. So, what’s the deal? Why is the sugar habit so HARD to kick? Let’s first examine how sugar works in the body. Before sugar enters the bloodstream it gets broken down into two simple sugars: glucose and fructose. The body produces glucose naturally if we don’t get it in our diet. However, there is no physiological need for fructose and we do not produce a significant amount. The fructose found in fruits and vegetables gets metabolized by the liver, turned into glycogen and stored as energy for future use. However, when excess sugar bombards the liver from sources like processed foods honey, fruit juices, concentrates and syrups, the fructose gets turned into fat. This can lead to all sorts of dis-ease in the body including inflammation, fatty liver disease, Type II diabetes and coronary heart disease. There are two things I would like to emphasize today: 1. Sugar substitutes or diet, light or sugar free products are NOT better for you. A 2004 study in the International Journal of Obesity suggests that when we offer our bodies sweet diet drinks but give them no calories, they crave real sugar even more. "Substitutes may not signal the same satiety hormones as sugar, making it easier to overeat." 2. Second, in the April 2011, New York Times magazine cover story, the president of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center was quoted, “I have eliminated refined sugar from my diet. Ultimately it’s something I can do to decrease my risk of cancer.” There is evidence and multiple studies that show that the overconsumption of sugar can contribute to cancer. OK. We know that too much sugar = bad. But what makes it so hard to quit? Research shows that sugar may be 6x as addictive as cocaine. This is because a small amount causes a surge of dopamine in the brain – that feel-good neurotransmitter. And yet the more sugar you take in, the more desensitized your brain becomes producing less and less dopamine, so it takes even more to create the same feel-good result. People with low dopamine activity may be more prone to addiction. So what can you do to get off the sweet stuff? 1) First, phase out sugary drinks of all kinds. Soda, ice tea, fruit juice or sports drinks, they tend to be laden with sugar and will spike your insulin levels making you crave sweets even more. If you have a tough time switching to plain water, try adding fruit to water or seltzer (like cucumber, lemon or berries) for flavor. 2) Keep fresh fruit as a substitute for desserts and candy. 3) Stay under 25g/day, or 6 teaspoons of sugar. For a complete list called “The Hidden Names of Sugar”, visit my website: www.supersimplehealthy.com/downloads and for additional support in kicking your sugar addiction, please feel free to contact me. Mention this podcast and receive ½ off your initial “Kickin Sugar Addiction” Strategy Session. Until next time: Keep it Simple. Be Healthy. https://supersimplehealthy.com

Welcome to the Super Simple Healthy Podcast! This is Christina Moyes. The Happy COOKER! In today’s episode I am going to talk to you about how to make cooking, SIMPLE and fun! YES fun! Really! I admit, I wasn’t a fan for a long time. And I cook more out of necessity than because I have passion for it. But if you would like to start eating healthier and don’t know where to start or think it’s going to be too hard, time consuming or costly, this episode is for YOU! The Happy Cooker So if you want to get back in the kitchen – at least a maybe get your toe wet before you dive in – but you’re not sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place. I myself was never a big fan of cooking from an early age. You may remember from my very first episode I mentioned how my mom would drag my sister and I into the kitchen on occasion and show us how to make this or truss that or something she felt we should know how to do. Those are times I WISH I’d listened a little more. But it was the late 70’s and women’s lib was in full bloom and I just felt my future husband had better be paying more attention in the kitchen than I because HE was going to be doing the cooking in our house. I was a terrible cook in college, but I did experiment. Not many things turned out well. Even after college, I still stuck to simple salads and pasta, maybe boiled up some frozen broccoli, potatoes or peas. I was NOT good at just throwing things together and adding this spice or that sauce and creating a masterpiece. But I also didn’t care to. I don’t think anything radically changed until I started learning about food and how it works for you or against you. When something becomes important enough, THAT’s when people start to take ACTION and make changes. Once I realized cooking wasn’t just something they did in the 50’s, but it was something I needed to do in order to feel better and to help my children grow up strong and healthy, THAT’S when I got interested! I started looking for healthier recipes with more variety. And it wasn’t so hard. You see cooking is just like any other skill. You need to practice. It won’t be perfect right from the start, although sometimes you MAY get lucky. And I don’t believe the old adage: “practice makes perfect” – but there CAN be “practice-makes-pretty-damn-good!” Here are 2 Rules to Start: 1) Keep it simple. You can go all “Martha Stewart fancy” once in a while, but stick to 2-5 ingredients at most. Yummly.com is a great resource for all kinds of recipes and it will allow you to input your dietary restrictions and preferences so every time you login, those recipes that fit those parameters will show up JUST for YOU! 2) Give yourself a break. Mistakes are ok. Start with one new dish and don’t give up. First time may be burnt, second time, better, third time JUST right and fourth time – delicious! For more Happy Cooker tips, visit the downloads page on my website at supersimplehealthy.com or sign up for a Super Simple cooking class. But above all: Start. And remember, practice doesn’t make PERFECT, Practice makes Possible! Until next time: Keep it Simple Be Healthy. https://supersimplehealthy.com

Welcome to the Super Simple Healthy Podcast! This is Christina Moyes. Frankie Say Relax! Do you ever feel like you’re constantly on the go with no time for yourself? Today I’ll be talking about the importance of self-care and how to squeeze it in no matter how hectic your day may be. Frankie Say Relax! So why is self-care so important? And how can you possibly squeeze it in with everything you have to do in one day? When I first became a mom, we were living in a townhouse in New Jersey and I remember talking to my neighbor over the fence in our backyard. She was from India and she said something to me that stuck: “American moms try to do everything on their own. Back in India we have not only our entire family taking care of our children, but others in the community as well. You take on too much.” And the more I thought about it, the more I realized it’s true. I don’t think it’s always been this way. I have heard stories of how grandparents used to live with the family. Or how aunts and uncles and cousins were all within close proximity. But a lot of families are spread far and wide these days and people are all doing their own thing. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but we need to be aware that it has an impact on our health when we try to “do it all”. And if we’re going to live this new model, steps need to be taken to tip the scales back in balance. Why? Genetics plays a part in our health, but does not determine the way the whole story goes. Food and lifestyle habits have an impact on whether or not those genes will be expressed. It may have been Deepak Choprah who said “If food is what loads the gun, stress pulls the trigger.” Stress can be a useful thing. Like in the caveman days, when confronting a saber tooth tiger, stress triggers what’s known as the “Fight or Flight Response”, where a chemical reaction occurs in the body activating cortisol and adrenaline and other stress hormones to send energy to the arms and legs in order to make a quick getaway or to fight. Since this is the natural reaction in the body, all other systems get placed on “low priority” so to speak – including the digestive system. Once the perceived danger is over, the body should return to a state of “Rest and Digest”. In today’s world however, the body doesn’t recognize the difference between an attack from a saber tooth tiger, vs running the kids to soccer practice or missing a deadline at work or having an argument. So many people find themselves unknowingly in a state of chronic stress, keeping cortisol levels high and the digestive system on low. And since 70% of the immune system is located in the gut, you can imagine this can cause problems. So what’s a girl or guy to do?? One of the easiest ways to come into the state of Rest and Digest is simply to BREEEATHE… Just like taking a sigh of relief. Consciously take a deep breathe in, making sure not to tense up any other area of your body, hold it for at least 5 seconds and release slowly for 7 seconds. Do this 3 times before each meal and it will place your body in a better state of relaxation and aid in your digestive health. Of course if you remember to, you can practice this any time of day and especially during stressful situations. Unless you’re facing a saber tooth. Until next time: Keep it Simple. Be Healthy. https://supersimplehealthy.com

Welcome to the Super Simple Healthy Podcast! This is Christina Moyes. To Organic or Not Organic, that is the question! Ok. It’s not exactly the Shakespeare quote. But one of the biggest objections I find when people are transitioning to a healthy diet is that it’s too expensive. Specifically, buying organic foods. So today we are going to take a look at what organic actually means, and when and if it’s really necessary to buy. Organic or Not? To Organic or Not? When I was growing up, there was no such label on any of the foods in the grocery store. I know this because my high school job was working as a cashier at our local grocery store. There was no 9 in front of the produce codes to signify organic vs conventional. And there was no “natural” or “organic” section of the store. So what does it mean when a food is labeled organic? Unfortunately, there is not one blanket set of rules for all organic foods. There are different rules for meat, seafood, dairy, eggs, packaged foods and fruits and vegetables. Today, we’ll talk about the category that includes, grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables. In order for fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts to be labeled organic the land on which they are grown, must be free of banned fertilizers and pesticides for more than 3 years. The farmers cannot use sewage sludge to fertilize their fields, the crops cannot be genetically modified (so they are non-gmo) and using ionizing radiation or irradiation to kill bacteria is not allowed. It is important to note, that there is a common misconception that all organic produce is pesticide free. Chemicals are sometimes used on organic foods. However, the majority of them are free of synthetics and are not the same as inputs used on conventional produce. Most of the pesticides used on organic foods are developed from plant and herb components and actually promote the health of the plants and soil. And organic farmers tend to use much less of even these organic pesticides than conventional farmers. So what’s the big deal about pesticides? Conventional farmers use pesticides to keep bugs from eating their crops and to prevent disease from spreading, lowering the risk of losing their crops for the season. Sounds reasonable – right? Except that, pesticides are poison. They kill bugs. We’re not bugs of course, we are much bigger. But while you are eating your non-organic apple, you are also ingesting over 30 different pesticides. Even if you wash the apple, you are eating pesticides that have seeped into the skin. You’re not going to drop dead from eating one apple that has been sprayed with pesticides. Do you know how many you are eating? Pesticides get stored in your colon where they slowly, but surely poison the body. There is an old saying “one snowflake does not cause an avalanche, but the last one does.” Countless studies have linked pesticides to cancer, ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease and the endocrine system. They have also been shown to be harmful to unborn fetuses as they are passed from the mother during pregnancy or nursing. Having said ALL THAT. I did not go from buying conventional to all organic overnight. It does cost more, I understand. There is a list called “The Dirty Dozen” which, lists the most heavily sprayed conventional produce. Try to buy those organic. Another rule of thumb is, if you eat the skin, like with berries, apples, peaches, greens or carrots, buy organic. Even if you peel the fruit or vegetable they are porous and the chemicals will seep into the flesh. If it’s something like watermelon, cantaloupe or pineapple where it has a hard rind, organic is not priority. One closing thought: I would rather invest in my grocer than my doctor. It’s up to you. Either way, you pay. Until next time: Think Simple. Be Healthy. https://supersimplehealthy.com

Welcome to the Super Simple Healthy Podcast! This is Christina Moyes. Are you toxic? With all of the toxins floating around in our environment, in our household products, beauty products and food supply, the simple answer is most likely - yes. But how can you tell for sure? In today’s podcast we’ll be talking about the signs your body may be giving you and the simple things you can do right away to help. Are You Toxic? So how can you tell if you are toxic? First what does it mean to BE toxic? Toxic as defined in the medical dictionary is simply: “Poisonous” or “Manifesting the symptoms of severe poisoning.” Now you may be thinking, but if I were toxic, wouldn’t I be doubled over in pain or lying on my deathbed? Toxicity shows up as inflammation in the body. Often times, people are in a state of acceptance: “Well, this is just what happens when you get older.” Or “This is just how I am.” Because they’ve always felt this way or because others in the family have also had the same symptoms. Some common symptoms of inflammation in the body are: joint pain, weight problems, asthma, allergies, skin problems like eczema or psoriasis, water retention, bloating, constipation, fatigue, hyperactivity, food cravings, wheezing, runny nose, indigestion, bladder issues, mood swings, migraines or headaches, inability to focus, fibromyalgia, depression, digestive issues and food sensitivities. Yeah, I know. It’s a long list. And so what, you can get a medication to ease joint pain or pick up something over the counter to help with indigestion. That is true. However, the problem is, those things will only mask the symptoms, not the take care of the root cause. That’s kind of like replacing the floorboards in your house to deal with a termite problem. It will still be there. And if left alone, the entire house will collapse around you. In your body, if inflammation is left without addressing the root cause, over time, it can lead to more serious conditions like diabetes, auto-immune disorders, stroke, and heart attack – even cancer. Because we cannot see it happening it is easy to overlook. But just like when a baby cries it is trying to tell you it NEEDS something – your body cries out for your attention by giving you these clues. Now, having an occasional runny nose or being tired from time to time does not mean you’re going to get cancer. But if these are ongoing issues, chronic issues, you may want to start paying attention. The good news is, there are very simple things you can do right away if you are experiencing one or more of these symptoms. I always tell my clients, “Small hinges swing big doors”. First, take an honest look at what you are eating. If your diet consists largely of processed, fast food and refined carbs like white rice, breads and pasta, you’re going to need to up your game. One small hinge that can swing a big door is to JUST ADD WATER. Eliminate whatever you are drinking, be it soda, iced tea, fruit juice, sports drinks, basically if it’s not water, start replacing it with water. To calculate how much water you should be drinking, take your weight, divide it in half and that’s how many ounces of water you should be drinking each day. If that seems like too much of a leap, start by just cutting down. So if you drink 6 cans of soda a day, replace one 12oz can with one 12oz glass of water. Every week subtract one can and add the same amount of water. In six weeks you’ll be soda free. And water is FREE – so you’ll be saving money! Just by making this one, simple change, you could start feeling a little better. Until next time: Keep it Simple. Be Healthy. https://supersimplehealthy.com

Welcome to the Super Simple Healthy Podcast! This is Christina Moyes. One of the most often asked questions I get is “What can I give my kids for a healthy snack on the go?” So today, I’ll share a couple of tips about what makes a snack healthy as well as what to steer clear of and examples of what I give my own kids. Healthy Snacks for Kids So what can you give your kids for a healthy snack on the go? For a simple and quick energy boost, you’ll want to give them complex carbohydrates. Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources. Used in combination with a protein or healthy fat it will sustain their energy longer. For example give them an apple with peanut or almond butter for dipping. My mom used to smear the peanut butter right on the cut up apple. We don’t even bother to cut it up, we just smear it right on the whole apple and bite! My younger sons will often eat that after school. Another healthy carb/protein combo is baby carrots with hummus or again, with a nut butter for dipping. That’s something I include in their lunch box from time to time. The most basic and best fast food you can find is in the produce isle of your grocery store… Apples, clementines, bananas and grapes are some of our favorites. They tend to be breakfast for my 15yr old who would prefer to eat up every extra minute of sleep instead of breakfast. When I was 15, I’d grab a package of PopTarts and eat them during chemistry, so for him to have an apple for breakfast as he heads out the door is fine with me! It’s high in vitamins, low in sugar and all that fiber will keep him fuller longer. Another grab and go snack option I give my kids are granola bars. But these are tricky. Not all bars are created equal. Two things I look for right away are the Non-GMO label and how much sugar is in each bar. The sugar content varies as does the amount of calories, so in order to determine how much is too much, you need to figure out what percentage of calories are from sugar rather than just looking at the number of grams. Multiply the number of grams of sugar by 4 – each gram of sugar equals four calories. Then divide that number by the total number of calories. So for example: 7g of sugar x 4 equals 28. In a bar with 140 calories, divide 28 by 140 and you get 20%. Try to stay under 25% of calories from sugar in a granola bar. For more about granola bars and other healthy snack ideas, please visit my website: supersimplehealthy.com So what NOT to give your kids for snack. I’m going to keep this REALLY SUPER SIMPLE. Anything high in sugar! Some say money is the route of all evil – I say it’s sugar. On average, Americans consume enormous amounts of sugar every year, which leads to a whole host of health problems. In fact, there is so much to say about sugar, it could be the subject of an entire episode. I will leave you with these two recommendations… there is no need to give a child a “sports drink” for either a practice or game. They are loaded with sugar and chemicals. Unless they are training for a marathon, water will do just fine AND it will save you tons of money!! Double bonus! My second recommendation along the same lines, which seems obvious, but I’ve seen it so much its silly. Bags of candy. Even if it’s labeled “organic”, it’s still sugar. We need sugar for energy. But not that kind. Your dentist may not thank you, but eventually, your children might. Eventually. To recap: 1) think complex carb, w little protein, little fat to give energy and make it last without a crash. 2) Stay away from added sugar as much as possible or at least calculate how much they are getting. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave your comments. And check out some of my healthy snack recipes online! Until next time: Keep it simple. Be Healthy. https://supersimplehealthy.com

Since we’re going to be spending a little time together, I thought I should tell you a little bit about myself and why the heck you should even listen to me… I am a Certified Holistic Health Coach, and a single mom of three rapidly growing boys and I am about to celebrate my 30th high school reunion next month (class of 87!) and I can eat what I want, when I want and not have to worry about gaining weight. But it wasn’t always this way... I grew up in the 70’s in a pretty typical New England household. We had the usual meat/veggie/starch combination for dinner. We ate pizza, spaghetti and McDonalds. At one point we belonged to a soda of the month club, where a case was delivered to our home once a month. I can remember at age 10, my pediatrician telling my mother in regards to my weight “well she’s ok for now, but she’s going to have to watch it when she’s older”. I went on my first diet when I was 12 and I thought dieting was just a part of life. I became a chronic dieter maintaining my weight through starvation and exercise. At age 40 when my youngest son was about 2yrs old I was faced with yet another diet, trying to lose the last of my baby weight, and I thought “I don’t want to do this for the rest of my life! I want to stop worrying about food.” I was watching some episodes of “The Biggest Loser”, and became a fan of Jillian Michaels and she did something different than anyone had done before… She talked about the POWER of food. I learned that it does SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST FILL YOU UP. Salmon is good for ur heart, hair and skin and red onions will fire up ur metabolism. I fell in LOVE with food again! But I wanted to know MORE so I could help my friends, family and other people learn about THE POWER OF FOOD! That’s when I found The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, the largest nutrition school in the world, where I studied an intense program to become a Certified Holistic Health Coach. We studied over 100 different dietary theories and how the mind and spirit are equally as important as food to your health. Experts like Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Andrew Weil, Geneen Roth, Deepak Chopra, and Dr. Joel Furman were amongst my teachers. I have a Master Certification in the TRANSFORMATIONAL COACHING METHOD which studies Neuro-linguistic Programming., the study of way the mind works to form patterns of behavior. Which can be VERY helpful when people are trying to make changes that LAST! And I am currently taking that even further, studying under Tony Robbins to become a Strategic Intervention Coach – awesome course! I have a wonderful career helping other people get OFF the DIET ROLLERCOASTER FOR GOOD so they can get the body and health they always wanted! Well, that’s enough about me. Let’s talk about you!   During our time here together you are going to learn: • How to listen to the clues your body is giving you • Healthy snack foods to give your kids • Quick and easy meals when you’re on the go • Decoding food labels • How to get back in the kitchen with minimal pain and effort • How to take time for you even when you have no time to take! • How to break bad habits, letting go of fear • And much more- and I want to know – what do you want to know! So please visit me and leave your comments and feedback so I can be sure to address those concerns that are nearest and dearest to you and your family. So Thanks for stopping by! Until next time – Keep it Simple. Be Healthy! https://supersimplehealthy.com