Sitting down for the first time to journal can be daunting. Thoughts begin to wander then you question if what you’re thinking is “good enough” to write down or, maybe you suddenly have no thoughts at all and get anxious because tu have no idea what to write—breathe—write for yourself. And just in case you are the kind of person who needs a little more direction than that (like me), here’s some direction.

Here are a few questions to help you get started. You don’t have to explore all of them, just the ones inspire you—afterwards, consider why you chose the questions you did and why you passed over others. Uncomfortable conversations are sometimes the ones we need to have the most.

• How am I doing today?
• Where in life am I holding my breath?
• Is there an emotion that I am ignoring completely?
• How do I feel about myself?
• What is my soul asking me to work on today?
• What is my body asking me to work on today?
• What is my mind asking me to...

I was super confused the first time I heard someone use the term “whole foods." I was like, “Mom, aren’t all foods whole?”

The way I make sense of it is that ‘whole’ is a breakdown of the word ‘wholesome,’ and ‘wholesome’ refers to the heartiness of the food in terms of its nutrient content. So basically, anything that comes straight from the earth is a ‘whole food.’

The technical definition of a whole food is a ‘food that has been refined or processed as little as possible and is eaten in its natural state.’ Examples of whole foods include unadulterated fruits and vegetables (including fresh, dried, or flash frozen produce), brown rice, wholemeal flour, and other unprocessed foods.

A whole food based diet is often, by default, a plant-based diet as well. Consumers of plant-based, whole food diets reel the benefits of having a diet rich in phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals,...

This meditation is one that I have shared for many years. I first found it while reading the breethe-blog and fell in love with it. I had never heard of the concept of lovingkindness. I thought that love and kindness had to be two different concepts, but I was wildly wrong. This meditation of lovingkindness brings together the energy of love with the intention of kindness, to encourage you to share your love and compassion with yourself and the world around you.

Enjoy!

To deepen your meditation, try integrating aromatherapy into your practice. This grounding blend encourages a sense of tranquility and eases anxious feelings.

In this meditation on lovingkindness, allow yourself to switch from the usual mode of doing to a mode of non-doing, of simply being. As your body becomes still, bring your attention to the fact that you are breathing. Become aware of the movement of your breath as it comes into your body and as it leaves your body. Do not manipulate...

"Upgrade U" by the goddess herself, Beyoncé

If you're looking for a few new ways to spice up your usual smoothie-making routine, don't stress — today I'm sharing a few of my favorite smoothie upgrades that will take your morning (or afternoon or evening — we don't discriminate!) smoothie to the next level.

Frozen fruits

Using frozen fruits as the base to your smoothies helps in two ways (well, more than two ways but we will focus on just two).

1. Texture: Who doesn’t love frothy, smooth, milkshake-like smoothies? Using frozen fruit brings the flavorful punch of fruit and leaves out the watery texture that results from using fruit juice.
2. Sustainable fiber: Fruit contains a lot of sugar—it’s all fructose—that just means, fruit provides a lot of fast-acting sugar for the body hence the blood sugar spike after eating a fruit salad or drinking a glass of orange juice. But fiber helps to maintain your blood sugar after...

Below is a list of nutrition-related words and their definitions that you may find helpful as you begin your journey. It's in ABC order, just like in grade school. Please refer back to it whenever you need to!

Anti-inflammatory: non inflammatory, inhibiting inflammation.

Antioxidant: a substance (such as vitamin C, ascorbic acid) that hinders oxidation or reactions promoted by oxygen, peroxides, or free radicals.

Bioavailable: the degree and rate at which a substance is absorbed into the body or is made available at the site of physiological activity.

Calorie: a unit of energy in the form of heat.

Cassava: another term for the plant, Manihot esculenta. It is typically cultivated for the dietary qualities of its rooting system known as yuca. 

Carbohydrate: molecules composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen; provide immediate energy and act as a source of stored energy in the body; a component of a balanced diet when in proper ratio with lipids...

...I meant collagen, what were you thinking?!

Lately, the media has been filled with news and reviews of collagen supplements, collagen injections, collagen masks, and countless other collagen infused products. So what’s the word?

Well, let’s familiarize ourselves with what collagen actually is.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body-it actually makes up 75% of the dry weight of your skin! It aids in proper joint function, contributes to skin elasticity, and also contributes to the strength and structure of bone.

For centuries, it has been considered the “fountain of youth” in eastern culture, and as of late, has become a popular beauty and health supplement worldwide.

Berries are an example of a food that boosts your body's natural collagen production.   

Collagen is naturally occurring in the body, but as we age, its synthesis slows. There are, however, ways to “spark” its generation and rake in the...

Bone broth has quickly risen to the top-10 list of nutrition fads. With claims of boosting immunity, detoxing the liver, aiding digestion, relieving arthritis, and having anti-aging properties, it seems logical that it would receive such attention. Countless blog pages, cooking channels, and magazines have jumped on the endorsement-train of bone broth—including New York Times and Women’s Health Magazine. Even some dieticians are recommending the daily consumption of bone broth.

But the fact is, there is no definitive research on the ”benefits” of bone broth. There is, however, research on the dangers of consuming bone broth—but let’s pace ourselves here.

What is bone broth?

Bone broth is a cross between a stock and a traditional broth. By definition, broths are typically made by simmering water with meats, herbs, vegetables, and spices, and on occasion, bones as well. Broths cook for about 45 minutes on the stove, then are...

“Not being a morning person” goes beyond a mindset and for some, it may take more than a strong cup of coffee to fix. Read on for more info on how to improve your sleep hygiene.

What is sleep hygiene? I sleep clean, right? Does this mean I could have sleep B.O? No, silly, but you can call it that if you’d like.

Sleep hygiene is less about the cleanliness of your resting place, though that does matter, and more about your sleeping habits.

Sleep hygiene is measured using two parameters, duration and quality of sleep. Poor sleep hygiene, or as I call it, having “sleep B.O.", has been linked to the development and progression of a number of chronic diseases including but not limited to type 2 diabetes, obesity, and depression.

As a matter of fact, sleep duration and quality have become predictors for a number of biomarkers including A1c. For those with type 2 diabetes, this means that optimizing sleep quality could contribute to improved blood sugar control. A...

Are you following or considering starting the keto diet?

Don’t. Why?

1 YOU’RE GOING TO GAIN IT BACK

Some people say they experience weight loss in the first week or so—sure but what they don’t tell you is that they regain it all (if not more)when they get go back to their regular diet.

AND now, there are also tremendous risks that are associated with following your ketogenic diet in the long term:

was increased risk of kidney stones.

greater chance of developing osteoporosis.

increased risk for painful gout.

Oh and not to mention the possible nutrient deficiencies when you can’t eat fruits and veggies!

2 YOU’RE PROBABLY NOT DOING IT RIGHT

Did you know that you’re supposed to pee on ketone strips when you’re on the keto-diet? 

This helps you to track the about of ketones that your body is producing (measuring fat burning). If levels are too low, then you’re just eating more fat and...

WISH YOU HAD MORE TIME TO WORKOUT?

The unsexy truth is...YOU’RE NOT TOO BUSY.

But don’t worry, I can help.

Has “I just don’t have time” been your excuse for the last...well, forever?

Are you constantly feeling overwhelmed by your current schedule?

Do you hardly have time to sleep let alone exercise?

Don’t have time to meal prep or cook or even think about eating right?

Are you so exhausted that you just don’t have time at the end of the day?

I promise you—if I can do it, you can do it.

Despite studying for my Masters, personal training private clients, instructing group exercise classes, running a business, and livin’ a life on the side, I still make time for my health and wellness.

For if we don’t have our health, we have no energy, focus, drive, or stamina.

Making time to eat well and exercise consistently is vital to keep you showing up as your...