Lessons from Reno
Hi! I hope that you’re having a great day so far. I wanted to fill you in on some lessons that I learned while visiting Blake in Reno. I tend to do a lot of personal growth and lesson learning when out on the road with Blake. You might remember lessons I shared this past summer and fall while visiting Blake in Alaska. There is something about being out of my comfort zone and having to deal with the unpredictability that comes with his job and being on the road that makes for challenges and learning lessons. I am a strong believer that going through tough situations and challenges helps you to grow as a person and better prepare you for your journey in life.
Sometimes I feel embarrassed to share my stories of when I haven’t acted my best or struggles that I’ve gone through, but I remind myself that I’m here to help others work through these same challenges. I want to inspire you to get back up and keep living your best life. We all hit speed bumps on our roads of personal growth. No one is perfect and the best we can do is learn from our mistakes and try to do better next time.
So, what little lessons did I learn while in Reno?
1. Always, always, always read the label or ask for the ingredients of what you are going to eat.
I was excited to try out some new bars that I had packed for my trip. I thought that I checked the ingredients of these “new-to-me” Cliff MoJo bars. Apparently I was more focused on the macronutrients (they are pretty close to Luna Bars) than examining every ingredient because I ended up eating half of a trail mix bar before I realized that it had pretzel sticks in it. Red-flag gluten alert!!! I was mad at myself because it was a silly mistake to make and I was frightened because I never know if an accidental gluten ingestion will result in any unwanted side effects. Luckily, I was not punished with a gruesome stomachache, but did suffer a possible side effect that I’ll explain in lesson #3.
2. Exercise, even when you are away from home.
I exercise 5-6 days a week. Not because I’m training for a big race or because I need to look amazing for an upcoming photo shoot, (although, I wouldn’t be opposed to those reasons in the future) but because I depend on my workouts to help keep my anxiety and PMS levels down. I’ll write a post in the future about natural ways I have been able to personally reduce my anxiety, but I want to focus on the benefits of working up a sweat when away from home and out of your daily routine.
My sister got my the Insanity DVD’s for Christmas and I started doing them a few weeks ago. I have stuck with the recommended training schedule and have noticed that I feel better when consistantly preforming these high-intensity cardio workouts. I packed my DVD’s and workout clothes for the trip with every intention of preforming the daily workouts. Um… I didn’t really feel like working up a sweat the first few days that I was here. I told myself that I was “on vacation” and that “I deserved a break from my workouts.” I wish that I had just powered through the workouts because I ended up feeling crappy until Monday, when I made myself put in a DVD and do a workout. Ahh, that burst of endorphins was exactly what my body and mind needed. After realizing how important these 30-40 minutes sweat sessions are for my sanity (even though they’re called “Insanity” haha!) I made the choice to continue my regular workout routine.
3. Stop, breath and focus on a solution.
I had a mini-meltdown in Whole Foods Sunday night. I want to say that it was induced by accidentally eating gluten that afternoon, but I’m not sure if there was a link or not. Here is what happened: we’re reading books and magazines at Barnes and Noble and realize that it’s getting late and we should try to pick up some dinner before heading back to the casino. (We were trying to save money on food after our expensive, amazing dinner at Charlie Palmer.) We hopped in the car and drove around looking for a place to get dinner. I spotted a Whole Foods and decided that hot bar would make a perfect, healthy dinner. We got inside at 8:55 to find the hot bar food was already taken down and a voice over the loud speaker said that they would be closing in five minutes. This is when the anxiety took over and my bad behavior started. It seems so silly now, but at the time I was actually in panic mode.
I complained to Blake that we wasted too much time at the book store, that they didn’t have any food that I wanted to eat and that I was too stressed to find anything to eat in the next five minutes. I could see the tension and anger building in him and decided that we were already at Whole Foods, I should just make do with the salad bar and pick up a rice paper roll since I was craving one. We bought our dinner and some vitamins that Blake needed and headed to the truck. And, the mini-meltdown continued. Blake told me that it took every last bit of his patience not to explode at me in the store, that I was acting like a child and that I could not let little stressors affect me the way that I let them. I started crying like a toddler, was ashamed that I had just acted like one and agreed that I let my anxiety get the best of me during those stressful (?!) five minutes in the store.
What I should have done was stopped my racing mind, taken a deep breath and decided if it was worth the stress of having to find something for dinner in under five minutes or if we should just leave and find another place to eat. Instead, I let my fear and anxiety come over me and acted like a toddler who wasn’t getting her way. Wow, that is embarrassing to admit! I learned a lot from that moment and got what I deserved once we were back at the hotel. My salad tasted gross and my rice paper roll was stale and unappetizing.
So, there you have some of my lessons that I learned while in Reno. I won’t even get started writing about how I have had to ditch my “everything has to go according to planned” attitude for a “go with the flow” one. That’s a whole other post in and of itself! I hope that by me sharing the lessons that I learn, you are able to learn through my mistakes and experiences and hopefully avoid them. I’ll keep sharing them with you because I’m sure there will be more that I’ll learn in the next few month and beyond. Have a great day,
Kilee
Viva La Reno
View from our room at the casino
Hi! How is your Wednesday going? Mine is wonderful out here in Reno, Nevada. I flew out Friday evening and my sister was nice enough to watch Layla for the weekend. Now Layla’s at the doggie hotel and I hope she’s on her best behavior! I’m not sure when I’m flying home yet, but possibly tomorrow or Friday. It all depends on when the helicopter maintenance is completed.
I’m really fortunate to be able to visit Blake while he’s out on the road. He travels a lot for his job as a helicopter pilot and is sometimes gone for months at a time. It just so happened that he would be in Reno staying at a casino for a few nights while his helicopter was down for a routine maintenance check. We have taken full advantage of his break here in Reno and turned it into a mini-vacay. But it’s not all fun and games; I have had to help out around the hanger and endure many hours of “guy places” including Cabela’s and a sheep hunting convention. It’s worth it to spend time with Blake. We make a really good team-at home and on the road!
Getting the heli all cleaned up and ready to be worked on by the mechanics
Hanger where the heli is being worked on
There were over 120 booths at this "Sheep Show"
I was really, really excited about all the sheep. Can't you tell?
Whoever said that Reno is like a mini Vegas is right. And like Vegas, Reno has some really good restaurants. Blake and I have always enjoyed eating at nice restaurants. We started going to more “adult-like” restaurants back in high school and college and have enjoyed many memorable meals together. Our dinner at Charlie Palmer Steak House a few nights back has to be one of the top ten meals that we’ve experienced together. If you’ve ever been to Ruth Chris Steak House, it’s like that, but even a little nicer! We ordered a bottle of red wine and started with the seafood platter which included oysters on the half shell, shrimp cocktail, crab legs and calamari salad. It came with five different sauces.
Look how happy Blake is with all that seafood!
Blake ordered a steak for dinner. He let me try some and it was one of the best tasting steaks I’ve ever had. I ordered sautéed mushrooms and grilled vegetables. I shouldn’t have even ordered the veggies because I was already stuffed from the seafood platter, but you know how some waitresses guilt-trip you into ordering more food than you planned to? Yeah, this one made me feel like I was an obnoxious woman who can barely finish a side salad. So, we boxed up our leftovers and skipped dessert. We didn’t even need to order dessert because they brought us a mini platter with candied walnuts, coconut macaroons, chocolate truffles and biscotti. Whew, I was stuffed by the time we left the restaurant.
But, we quickly found a way to work off our dinner — line dancing! The casino had a live country band and a dance floor for line dancing. We were so impressed with the couples out on the dance floor that we vowed to take lessons and go line dancing once we’re back home. I am so excited! Blake already has the cowboy boots and plaid shirts, but we need to pick him up a cowboy hat and I need some cowgirl boots and a cute plaid shirt to wear. I’d really prefer one with ruffles on!
I even tried a few dances out on the dance floor. It was not pretty!
Since we’re staying at a casino and I have never gambled before, we took a few one’s that Blake had in his pocket and hit the casino floor. He gravitated towards slot machines with ‘Wolf” in the title, while I thought the “Sex & the City” machines were more fun. We weren’t too lucky on in terms of gambling.
But, we did end up down in the children’s arcade and I (after too many played token to count) ended up winning a *Bonus* on one of the games. I’m embarrassed to say that I may have gotten a little too excited about all the tickets I won!
Who needs to gamble in a casino when there's an arcade to play in?
I’m going to go do some more loads of laundry. I want to get Blake all caught up before he flies out to Elko, NV. Have a great day and I’ll talk to you later,
Kilee
Blueberry Crisp Protein Smoothie
Hi from Reno, Nevada! I’m typing this post as we lay in bed with news about the presidential candidates on the television. I am not political at all, but am making an effort to learn about the current candidates and their views. I’ve been taking a few photos with my iPhone since I flew in here and will post some of the fun ones once I’m home in a few days. For now, I’ll leave you with a delicious post-workout smoothie that I made a few days ago.
Blueberry Crisp Protein Smoothie
Serves 1 post-workout woman (or man)
1/2 cup frozen blueberries (try to find organic ones if possible)
1/2 frozen banana, broken into pieces
2 ice cubes
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 Tablespoon oats (rolled or quick cook)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon maple extract
pinch of stevia
1 cup non-dairy milk (I used a unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
Place all of the ingredients in the blender and blend for about a minute. Enjoy!
I’ve been having fun making all different types of dessert smoothies lately. I might not be baking much, but I’m sure enjoying my “dessert flavored” protein smoothies.
Have a great day,
Kilee
January Cleanse/Weight-Loss Week 4
Can you believe that we’re already 3/4 of the way through January? This month is flying by! Speaking of flying, I will be flying out to visit Blake in Reno, NV today. His helicopter is down for maintenance right now, so I get to go enjoy some time with him in “little Las Vegas.” My sister agreed to watch Layla for the weekend, so we will be doggie-free. I can’t wait to see what Reno is like. I guess we’re staying at a casino that has an “all-you-can-eat” sushi bar. Can you trust a sushi restaurant that’s not on the coast? We’ll see!
Did anyone try the Cleanse-Friendly Cookies I posted this week? I may have had one (or two) each day since I made them.
How are you feeling? Have you continued to eat vegan or have you reintroduced animal proteins back into your diet? Take some time to think about how you have felt over the past week and adjust your diet as needed. Some people feel great as vegetarians, some people prefer to eat fish while others thrive as full-fledge omnivores. Play around with your animal protein intake until it feels right for you.
This week, you have the option of adding dairy back into your diet. I recommend starting with a goat or sheep cheese or yogurt. Some people, like myself, have an easier time digesting pure sheep or goat’s milk products than cow dairy. If your stomach feels good enough with these two and you want to try adding cow’s dairy back into your diet, go ahead. Pay close attention to how you feel in the hours after you eat your dairy. Is your stomach cramping? Do you feel gassy? If you feel fine, you can choose to continue to eat dairy products. If you feel somewhat sick from it, keep it out of your diet.
Week 4 Daily Meal Guide:
Upon Rising: 16 ounces of water with 2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
Breakfast: Green Smoothie (see recipe)
Snack: LARABAR (store-bought of homemade) or 4-6 ounces plain greek yogurt with some fruit or gluten-free granola
Lunch: Salad (see recipes for weeks 2 & 3)
Snack: 1-2 cups fresh vegetables and 3 ounces deli meat or ¼ cup hummus or dip
Dinner: Any of the recipes from weeks 1-3 or try one of the linked recipes below.
Post-Dinner: Cup of herbal tea
Week 3 Dinner Recipe Ideas
Quinoa with Poached Egg, Spinach and Cucumber
Grilled Salmon with Apricot-Mustard Glaze
(Lifestyle Tip of the Week:
Taking some time to do something special for yourself is very important. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in taking care of others and not focusing on your own needs. You are not a selfish person for choosing to do something that you enjoy each day. It has been proven that it is beneficial to you and you health to treat yourself to something you enjoy daily.
It could be reading your favorite book, taking a walk to the park, getting a manicure, turning off your cell phone in the evening, taking a bubble bath, buying a scarf in your favorite color, looking at puppies at the pet store or pound or giving yourself a face mask. Whatever you like to do… do it! Unless it’s shoving handfuls of potato chips and chocolates into your mouth. We’re on a cleanse, remember!
This week, please remind yourself to treat yourself to something special each day. I promise that it will have a positive impact on your life.
I hope that you are feeling amazing! I’m off to finish my packing and hit the road. See you from Reno!
xoxo,
Kilee
Using Stevia to Replace Sugar
Hello friends! I hope that you are having a beautiful day wherever you are! I woke up to a little snow on the ground. It has been melting all morning and turning into rain. Oh well, the snow was fun while it lasted!
A few months ago, I received a package filled with goodies from the wonderful folks at NuNaturals. I love that NuNaturals is a local company here in Oregon and they strive to produce the best tasting stevia on the market. Today I wanted to share with you my suggestions for using stevia to replace refined sugar and chemically produced sugar substitutes.
I started using stevia back in my college days when I read about the benefits of using it as opposed to the Splenda packets I was pouring into my coffee and oatmeal. I bought a bottle of liquid stevia at the health food store and tried it out – yuck! The aftertaste was worse than Sweet-n-Low or Equal! I took stevia off my shopping list until someone suggested that I give another brand a try. This time I bought SweetLeaf brand Vanilla Stevia Extract and was pleasantly surprized how good it tasted in my morning coffee. I still used Splenda here and there, but got used to using stevia in my coffee.
I don’t feel like writing about all the possible health complications of overusing refined sugar and chemically engineered sugar substitutes, but if you need a refresher course, you can find more info here and here.
I admit that I still use a little organic cane sugar or regular powdered sugar (nothing tastes as good as C&H brand powdered sugar!) in some of my baked goods, but I’m always finding natural ways to reduce my sugar intake. Stevia to the rescue! Processed stevia is derived from the stevia plant. It was actually banned from US shelves as a sweetener (but allowed in dietary supplements) until December of 2008. Now, there is an abundance of stevia brands and products in health food stores and even mainstream grocery stores as well. Let’s get to the ways to add stevia to your diet!
How to Replace Sugar and Sugar Substitutes with Stevia:
1. Use it to sweeten your coffee, tea or sparkling water. I love the liquid vanilla stevia for my morning coffee or one of the quick dissolve tablets for my evening tea. I sometimes like to add a few drops of the regular stevia to my citrus sparkling water to make it taste more like 7-Up.
2. Sprinkle it on your morning oatmeal or cereal. If you love a bowl of comforting, sweet oatmeal or cereal in the morning, sprinkle a packet of stevia on top. I grew up sprinkling Sweet-n-Low on my breakfast cereal (my mom didn’t buy any sugared cereals) so I used to them tasting a little sweeter.
3. Substitute part or all of the sugar in your baking recipes with More Fiber Stevia Baking Blend. Baking with stevia can be tricky because it’s about 200 times sweeter than that same amount of regular sugar. More Fiber Stevia Baking Blend to the rescue! It can be used as a 1:1 replacement for sugar in your baked goods. Because it has about 4 grams or fiber per tablespoon and this can cause a bit of gas for the normal stomach, I tend to replace half of the recipe’s sugar with stevia and use organic cane sugar, sucanat or palm sugar for the other half.
4. Make low-sugar almond milk hot cocoa. I love to steam a mug of vanilla almond milk in the evening and then add the Cocoa Bean Extract liquid stevia. It cures my sweet tooth and doesn’t leave me buzzing around with a sugar high before bed.
Tell me, what are your favorite ways to use stevia? I know there are a ton of great suggestions out there. I have to say that the increase of stevia products on the market has significantly lowered my use of refined sugar and Splenda-like sweeteners.
I was practicing my YouTube skills the other night and filmed Layla before dinner time. She does these fake sneezes when she wants something. She knows that 6pm is her dinner time and starts this little act around 5 each night. She’s been acting like quite the YouTube celebrity since I posted this video of her:
Have great day!
Kilee
Cleanse-Friendly Cookies
Hi! How is week 3 of the cleanse going for you? I hope that you are feeling energized and healthy. Today I wanted to share a new cleanse-friendly cookie recipe with you. I know that there are times when you just need a cookie or two. I came up with this recipe to satisfy your (and my) sweet tooth while still cutting out refined sugar, gluten and dairy products. The banana and maple syrup sweeten the cookies while the protein powder helps to keep your blood sugar levels from spiking. The only questionable ingredient in this recipe is the chocolate chips. Feel free to chop up an unsweetened chocolate baking bar or try out some of the “healthy” chocolate chips on the market by:
Enjoy Life Foods mini chocolate chips – dairy, gluten, nut & soy free
Dagoba Chocodrops – Fair trade organic chocolate
Chocolate Dream chocolate chips – dairy & gluten free
Some purists might argue that there is no room for a little chocolate on a cleanse. I disagree. This is a month long program and there is a tiny bit of room for a chocolate chip or too. Just keep your hand out of the bag while you’re adding the chocolate chips into the batter.
Cleanse-Friendly Chocolate Chip Banana Cookies
Makes 12-16 cookies
1/2 cup gluten-free flour (I used Pamela’s brand)
1/2 cup vanilla brown rice protein powder (I used Sun Warrior brand)
1/2 cup gluten-free oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed
1/2 cup mashed banana
1/4 cup creamy almond butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup chocolate chips
Preheat your oven to 375ºF. In a large mixing bowl stir the ground flaxseed, mashed banana, almond butter, maple syrup and vanilla together until completely mixed. In a medium mixing bowl stir the flour, protein powder, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combined. Gently add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and add the chocolate chips. Stir until just combined.
Drop by rounded tablespoons onto a parchment paper lined baking sheets. Push down with a spatula to lightly flatten each cookie. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool for 2 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a wire baking rack.
Enjoy with glass of unsweetened almond or coconut milk. I will make these cookies even when I’m not on a cleanse!
Take care,
Kilee
January Cleanse/Weight Loss Week 3
Welcome to week 3 of the January Cleanse/Weight Loss program. You have done an amazing job so far! How are you feeling coming off of your first two weeks? I bet a little more refreshed, energized and lighter. It’s really important pay attention to how your body and emotions feel and try to see if there are any patterns between what you eat and how you feel.
We will be easing up on some of the dietary restrictions this week. You completed your most rigorous week of cleansing last week. It is very important not to break a cleanse with heavy, processed foods. Our bodies grew accustomed to the light, vegan fare and it would be too much a shock to our system to dive back into chips and cookies.
This week is about continuing the high-vegetable intake and starting to reintroduce meats, fish and poultry into your diet, if you choose. If you felt great and more energetic than usual not eating animal products, you can choose to continue your vegetarian diet. However, there are some people and blood types that do better when consuming meat, fish and/or poultry. Pay attention to what feels right for your body.
A note about alcohol: although alcohol is considered a toxin and does not promote cleansing, I understand that you might have social obligations this week where alcohol will be served. If you choose to indulge in an alcoholic beverage, please restrict it to one glass of red wine. The antioxidants from the grapes and natural sugars make this your best choice as far as drinks are concerned. An even better, non-alcohol choice would be a sparkling water with a twist of lime. Remember, one glass of wine per week – max!
Week 3 Daily Meal Guide:
Upon Rising: 16 ounces of water with 2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
Breakfast: Green Smoothie (see recipes)
Snack: 1/4 cup homemade trail mix (use a mixture of non-sugar added dried fruits and nuts)
Lunch: Salad (see recipes below)
Snack: 1-2 cups fresh vegetables and ¼ cup hummus or dip (see recipes below)
Dinner: 4 ounces lean meat, fish or poultry
1 cup of steamed or sautéed vegetables
Side salad with ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and 1-2 teaspoons vinegar or lemon juice
Post-Dinner: Cup of herbal tea
Lunch Salad Recipe Ideas:
Shrimp Cobb Salad - substitute the blue cheese dressing with a lemon vinaigrette
or create your own salad (with no dairy or gluten) or use any of last weeks salad recipes.
Dip Recipe Ideas:
Dinner should be simple, just grill or bake your protein, sauté some vegetables in a touch of oil (I like extra virgin coconut oil) and toss a simple salad of greens with olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar. If you are choosing to continue without animal protein, feel free to substitute tofu, tempeh, beans or quinoa.
I’ll be back in a few days to share a little cleanse-friendly cookie recipe with you. It’s a great way to treat your sweet tooth during the cleanse.
Take care and remember to email or comment with any questions!
Kilee
Surviving PMS Symptoms
Hi! How is your second week of the cleanse going if you are participating in the January Cleanse/Weight-loss program? I hope that you are enjoying the recipes that I posted last weekend or making up some new ones of your own. You are over half way through week 2 and are doing an amazing job so far. Remember to take it easy on yourself, rest a little more if needed and stay well hydrated.
Today I wanted to share some foods that are beneficial for reducing PMS symptoms. Remember to talk with your health care provider if you need any help managing your PMS; these are only nutrient and food suggestions.
I actually experience really bad PMS every month. Some months go better than others. Before I took gluten out of my diet, it was to the point where they diagnosed my symptoms as PMDD. Luckily, after removing the gluten, my symptoms went back to the “normal” PMS ones. Over the years I have seen a definite link between my lifestyle and the severity of my PMS symptoms. These food suggestions have helped me, but everyone is different. Please be gentle and kind to yourself and don’t get upset if these suggestions don’t work for you. Do some research and talk to a health care provider about other options for yourself.
I started to type out exactly what foods to increase and decrease and then came across this great article featuring the work of Joy Bauer, the a lead nutritionist featured in many magazines and talk shows. Here are her suggestions of what to eat and not to eat to avoid PMS:
Many women with PMS define their monthly nutrition needs in terms of their cravings for anything salty or chocolate. Although indulging in chocolate-dipped pretzels might seem like a fantasy come true, they won’t improve your mood or reduce the bloat. There are many better options…
First, try to limit your intake of salt, alcohol and caffeine:
- Salt and salty foods. PMS causes bloating and water retention. Salt can cause bloating and water retention. Ergo, salt can make those problems of PMS worse.
- Alcohol. Premenstrually, alcohol can cause increased breast tenderness. Also, alcohol can lowerblood sugar, which may make typical PMS mood symptoms worse. If you cannot totally avoid alcohol premenstrually, at least try not to drink to excess.
- Caffeine. Some research suggests that the effects of caffeine are magnified premenstrually, leading to greater breast tenderness, more nervousness and potentially more irritability. If these side effects sound familiar, make an effort to limit the amount of caffeinated coffee and tea you drink one week prior to menstruation.
On the other hand, go out of your way to include foods rich in calcium, magnesium, manganese and vitamin B6. And be sure to enjoy a daily cup of chamomile tea. Here’s the scoop:
Calcium
Compared with women who don’t have premenstrual symptoms, researchers have found some women with PMS have lower blood levels of calcium around their time of ovulation. And when PMS sufferers take 1000 to 1200 milligrams of calcium supplements daily, their mood and bloating improve after just a few months. I consider calcium-rich foods an absolute must for women with PMS.
Best foods for calcium: Low-fat and nonfat dairy foods, including yogurt (low-fat/nonfat), milk (skim, 1% reduced fat milk), cheese (nonfat/low-fat), and low-fat ice cream; broccoli and kale; and other calcium-fortified foods.
Magnesium
Just as was found with calcium, some women with PMS seem to have lower blood levels of magnesium compared with women who did not have PMS symptoms. Women with PMS who ate ample magnesium-rich foods had better mood and less water retention than women who did not get enough magnesium. It is thought that magnesium might help regulate the activity of serotonin, the so-called feel-good neurotransmitter.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is one of the necessary ingredients required by the body to manufacture dopamine, one of the mood neurotransmitters. Research into the effects of vitamin B6 on PMS have been mixed — some show that taking supplements reduces irritability, depression, and breast tenderness, while others don’t find any effect at all. Although the research on supplements is a bit confusing, I highly recommend eating vitamin B6-rich foods because they seem to have helped many of my clients with PMS.
Best foods for vitamin B6: Fortified whole-grain breakfast cereals, chick-peas, wild salmon, lean beef, pork tenderloin, chicken breast, white potatoes (w/skin), oatmeal, banana, pistachio nuts and lentils.
Manganese
Manganese is found in minute quantities in foods, but that’s OK because we don’t need a lot to stay healthy. If you eat a relatively balanced diet, you’re probably getting enough manganese. But blood levels of manganese vary throughout the menstrual cycle, so it is not surprising that this mineral might be involved in PMS. A handful of studies have suggested that manganese, in combination with calcium, may reduce the irritability, depression and tension associated with PMS. Therefore, I encourage you to go out of your way to incorporate manganese-rich foods, specifically around the time of your PMS.
Best foods for manganese: Pineapple, wheat germ, spinach, collard greens, pecans, lima beans, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, oats and raspberries.
Drink chamomile tea.
Premenstrually, chamomile tea may be particularly helpful because it contains properties that relieve muscle spasms, and may therefore help reduce the severity of menstrual cramps. In addition, chamomile seems to reduce tension that may lead to anxiety and irritability.
Joy Bauer is the author of the No.1 New York Times best-seller, Joy Bauer’s Food Cures. For more information on healthy eating, visit Joy Bauer’s Web site at www.joybauernutrition.com
I hope that you can incorporate these foods into your diet and hopefully avoid some unwanted PMS symptoms.
Have a great day and I’ll be back tomorrow or Saturday to post Week 3′s outline.
Much love,
Kilee
Orange Mango Green Smoothie
Hi! I just wanted to quickly share my new favorite post-workout green smoothie recipe with you.
Orange Mango Green Smoothie
Serves 1
1/2 scoop Sun Warrior Warrior Protein Powder
1/4 cup orange juice
1 large handful of spinach
1/2 a lemon or lime, peeled or unpeeled
1/2 green apple, diced
1/2 cup frozen mango chunks (I buy these at Trader Joe’s)
2-4 ice cubes
1/4 cup (give or take) filtered water
Place all of your ingredients in the blender in the order shown and blend on high for about a minute.
Week 2 Recipe Ideas
Welcome to week 2′s recipe ideas. There are no “set” recipes for this cleanse, but rather guidelines and suggestions.
Breakfast: Green Smoothie – feel free to use this recipe as a template or try one of Victoria Boutenko’s green smoothies posted here.
Morning Snack: Try making your own fruit and nut bars or purchase non-peanut/non-chocolate Larabars.
Lunch: Large Salad. Include lots of fresh veggies and beans, rice or quinoa. Some recipe ideas include:
Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad – leave out the feta
Coconut Rice and Black Bean Salad
Spinach Salad with Apples, Currants & Walnuts
Sweet Potato, Celery and Apple Salad
Lightened Up Protein Power Goddess Bowl
Afternoon Snack: 1-2 cups fresh vegetables and ¼ cup hummus or store-bought
My super-simple hummus recipe:
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Filtered water
In a blender or food processor combine garbanzo beans, garlic, cumin, salt and olive oil. Blend on low speed, gradually adding filtered water, until desired consistency is achieved.
Dinner: Vegan Soup or pick up a fresh vegetarian soup at the store. I like to make a large batch of soup in the crock pot on Sunday and then maybe another soup on Thursday. Here are some soup recipe ideas:
Slow Cooker Soup Recipes – ignore any animal proteins. I think there’s only a few.
Spiced Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup
Post-Dinner: Cup of herbal tea
If you have any recipe suggestions or questions, feel free to leave them below. Happy cooking!
