I loved this so much that I am sharing it again . . . Happy Mother’s Day, Moms!

One of the perks of having your own business is that you get to choose (to some extent) the people who you surround yourself with on a daily basis.  I am continually inspired by spending time with my colleagues, who I am lucky to also call friends.  I have asked some of these great women who work with me at Nutritious Life to take a moment to reflect on Mother’s Day.  Their answers speak to some of the pillars that are the foundation of a Nutritious Life. I hope these words inspire you as you recognize and honor the women and mothers in your life, this Mother’s Day.

Tiffany: Eating Empowered

As a mom of a preschooler, people ask me if my daughter eats healthy because I’m a nutritionist.  The truth is, she’s a typical kid who loves her sweets and struggles to get in green vegetables.  When I was in grad school studying nutrition I had very strong ideas about how I would feed my child when I became a mother…and then I actually had a child.  She is her own person and has her own likes and dislikes.  She does like a lot of healthy foods, but it is a daily, ongoing attempt to get her to try new foods.  I just try to expose her to these wonderfully healthy foods as much as possible, so at the very least she recognizes them (she can identify kale and avocado even if she hasn’t quite yet learned to like them).  She helps me assemble my salads, we go to the farmers’ market together, and she knows all about vitamins A, B and C and how they make her body healthy.  I keep telling myself that I was picky as a kid and grew up to love vegetables, so there’s hope for her, too. So, on Mother’s Day we will enjoy one of our favorite weekend activities together…cooking whole wheat pancakes.  She gets on the step stool and helps me measure and mix the batter, and we occasionally add some fruit to bump up the nutrition.  But let’s be honest, for my daughter it’s not about the whole grain goodness; it’s really all about the syrup.

Amanda: Stress Less

Growing up, my mom always taught me to STRESS LESS. I’ve always had a tendency to stress about things that were out of my control or that really weren’t worth stressing about. My mom has a saying: “Is this tragic or merely inconvenient?” Putting the problem into perspective and knowing that I can deal with the “inconvenient”, and helping me come up with a plan always helped me stress less, and is a phrase I often repeat to myself today when something arises. To return the favor, my mom and I spend Mother’s Day indulging in a relaxing spa day each year.

Lara: Sleep Deep

As the mother of two little girls, almost 4 and 20 months, sleeping in doesn’t happen often. Since our eldest child was born, my husband makes Mother’s Day a special day for me beginning with a lazy morning in bed. It’s amazing what a little extra sleep can do for my overall mood and energy. It sets me up for an amazing day with my family. In fact, just the idea of knowing I can stay in bed is enough for me. On Mother’s Day, like most days, I just want snuggle with my girls and get lots of hugs and kisses. Being a mother is the greatest gift in the world. And a little extra sleep doesn’t hurt!

Michelle: Pamper Thyself

Mother’s day is a traditional day in my family where for as long as I can remember, the day is all about embracing, valuing, and pampering my mom, grandmothers, aunts, and all mothers in the family alike. For brunch, my dad’s side of the family would gather around my grandmother over an abundance of middle eastern Persian cuisine and tell jokes, pastime stories, and sing happy mother’s day songs in Persian, Hebrew, and English. My cousins and I would create small gifts of hearts and poems to distribute to our mothers, giving them hugs, kisses, and unforgettable keepsakes. Then for dinner, we would do the same exact thing with my mother’s side of the family. As I grew older, my gifts became more sophisticated from a scribble of love to a spa date. It is a big day of appreciation and acknowledgement for all mothers do – so do a little something extra to pamper all the mothers out there, including yourself! No matter how old you get mom still loves the hand written heart shaped poems – a keepsake that she can always turn to for happiness and smiles. This Mother’s Day pamper mom with written love whether that is a beautiful poem, note, engraved poetry art, or a handmade scrapbook/collage, it will be sure to keep her smiling and feel loved and appreciated for more than just one day!

Stacia: Sex Ed

I don’t really like to be the center of attention. It makes me nervous. I have tried repeatedly to make Mother’s Day about my mother or mother in law – pampering others is much more my style. But, with 3 amazing kids, I have no choice but to succumb to their doting. Really, it is like bizzaro day. Instead of making 5 breakfasts, lunches and dinners, cleaning up and managing the household, my family takes charge. Behind it all is my husband, who plans, orchestrates and organizes breakfast, my kiddie “rock concert” and barbecue or picnic. There is nothing sexier to me than watching the man I adore (after 12 years 6 moves, more than 10 jobs between us, sickness and health) make super-daddy-egg-sandwiches, and actually clean up. On Mother’s Day, it is not lost on me that the honor of being called mumma is really because of the man I love.

Cheers to another year of parenting! I hope you are honored, pampered and rested in celebration of all your hard work.

I loved this so much that I am sharing it again . . . Happy Mother’s Day, Moms!

One of the perks of having your own business is that you get to choose (to some extent) the people who you surround yourself with on a daily basis.  I am continually inspired by spending time with my colleagues, who I am lucky to also call friends.  I have asked some of these great women who work with me at Nutritious Life to take a moment to reflect on Mother’s Day.  Their answers speak to some of the pillars that are the foundation of a Nutritious Life. I hope these words inspire you as you recognize and honor the women and mothers in your life, this Mother’s Day.

Tiffany: Eating Empowered

As a mom of a preschooler, people ask me if my daughter eats healthy because I’m a nutritionist.  The truth is, she’s a typical kid who loves her sweets and struggles to get in green vegetables.  When I was in grad school studying nutrition I had very strong ideas about how I would feed my child when I became a mother…and then I actually had a child.  She is her own person and has her own likes and dislikes.  She does like a lot of healthy foods, but it is a daily, ongoing attempt to get her to try new foods.  I just try to expose her to these wonderfully healthy foods as much as possible, so at the very least she recognizes them (she can identify kale and avocado even if she hasn’t quite yet learned to like them).  She helps me assemble my salads, we go to the farmers’ market together, and she knows all about vitamins A, B and C and how they make her body healthy.  I keep telling myself that I was picky as a kid and grew up to love vegetables, so there’s hope for her, too. So, on Mother’s Day we will enjoy one of our favorite weekend activities together…cooking whole wheat pancakes.  She gets on the step stool and helps me measure and mix the batter, and we occasionally add some fruit to bump up the nutrition.  But let’s be honest, for my daughter it’s not about the whole grain goodness; it’s really all about the syrup.

Amanda: Stress Less

Growing up, my mom always taught me to STRESS LESS. I’ve always had a tendency to stress about things that were out of my control or that really weren’t worth stressing about. My mom has a saying: “Is this tragic or merely inconvenient?” Putting the problem into perspective and knowing that I can deal with the “inconvenient”, and helping me come up with a plan always helped me stress less, and is a phrase I often repeat to myself today when something arises. To return the favor, my mom and I spend Mother’s Day indulging in a relaxing spa day each year.

Lara: Sleep Deep

As the mother of two little girls, almost 4 and 20 months, sleeping in doesn’t happen often. Since our eldest child was born, my husband makes Mother’s Day a special day for me beginning with a lazy morning in bed. It’s amazing what a little extra sleep can do for my overall mood and energy. It sets me up for an amazing day with my family. In fact, just the idea of knowing I can stay in bed is enough for me. On Mother’s Day, like most days, I just want snuggle with my girls and get lots of hugs and kisses. Being a mother is the greatest gift in the world. And a little extra sleep doesn’t hurt!

Michelle: Pamper Thyself

Mother’s day is a traditional day in my family where for as long as I can remember, the day is all about embracing, valuing, and pampering my mom, grandmothers, aunts, and all mothers in the family alike. For brunch, my dad’s side of the family would gather around my grandmother over an abundance of middle eastern Persian cuisine and tell jokes, pastime stories, and sing happy mother’s day songs in Persian, Hebrew, and English. My cousins and I would create small gifts of hearts and poems to distribute to our mothers, giving them hugs, kisses, and unforgettable keepsakes. Then for dinner, we would do the same exact thing with my mother’s side of the family. As I grew older, my gifts became more sophisticated from a scribble of love to a spa date. It is a big day of appreciation and acknowledgement for all mothers do – so do a little something extra to pamper all the mothers out there, including yourself! No matter how old you get mom still loves the hand written heart shaped poems – a keepsake that she can always turn to for happiness and smiles. This Mother’s Day pamper mom with written love whether that is a beautiful poem, note, engraved poetry art, or a handmade scrapbook/collage, it will be sure to keep her smiling and feel loved and appreciated for more than just one day!

Stacia: Sex Ed

I don’t really like to be the center of attention. It makes me nervous. I have tried repeatedly to make Mother’s Day about my mother or mother in law – pampering others is much more my style. But, with 3 amazing kids, I have no choice but to succumb to their doting. Really, it is like bizzaro day. Instead of making 5 breakfasts, lunches and dinners, cleaning up and managing the household, my family takes charge. Behind it all is my husband, who plans, orchestrates and organizes breakfast, my kiddie “rock concert” and barbecue or picnic. There is nothing sexier to me than watching the man I adore (after 12 years 6 moves, more than 10 jobs between us, sickness and health) make super-daddy-egg-sandwiches, and actually clean up. On Mother’s Day, it is not lost on me that the honor of being called mumma is really because of the man I love.

Cheers to another year of parenting! I hope you are honored, pampered and rested in celebration of all your hard work.

Some people are really into the New Year’s resolution thing, but I’m not a huge believer in the once a year promises – I try to make small goals for myself and work at them often. While I try to start each year fresh, Labor Day really inspires me to reevaluate what I want from my year. I’m not going to chat you up with back-to-school rallying. I will not stress you out with talk of changing your wardrobe and breaking out the boots. I really want to speak to your (and my) personal goals on this Labor Day holiday.

I want to ask you to be a partner with me as I lay the foundation for the upcoming academic year. I like to look at the mission of my private practice and make sure that I’m practicing what I preach. I need to keep my work fresh, so sitting down to do this is super important to me.

There are 8 key elements to my philosophy – I call them the “pillars” of Nutritious Life. I’m going to lay them out for you. There is a bullet with MY goal to correspond with each pillar and I have left one bullet for you in each category to add your goals. Remember to keep your goals simple and attainable. You have reached your goal if it has become a habit; at that point, set a new goal for yourself.

Eat empowered — Feel empowered putting the most nutrient rich food in your body. It’s not “I can’t eat the dessert” – it IS – “I can eat the blueberries!”  When we focus on how good we feel fueling ourselves with the best foods you will continue to be motivated to eat these foods.

• This year I’m going to do a great job stocking my purse, desk and travel bag with healthful snacks (I’m usually pretty good at this) AND I’m going to make sure that I have a stockpile of ready to eat veggies to grab and go in my refrigerator each week. I’m going to chop my celery, trim my green beans and julienne my jicima on Sunday nights when I’m catching up on my favorite shows.
• Your Eat Empowered goal:

Exercise steady  – Aside from burning calories exercise is important because when we exercise our bodies releases endorphins which make us feel good and motivate us to eat well, do our jobs well and simply be happy!

• On days when getting to the gym or a class stresses me out because I have so much to do, I am going to walk up the 7 flights of stairs to my office and I’m going to bang out push-ups, planks  and wall sits while I’m on the phone.
• Your Exercise Steady goal:

Drink up — Our bodies are 50-75% water. The most common reason people are sluggish in the afternoon is due to dehydration. If we don’t drink enough water our bodies do not function properly, we become tired and do not metabolize food properly.

• I am really solid in the fluid department and get my water in every day. Still, I’d like to get more lemon in (it is great at detoxifying the liver), so I plan to slice up some lemon (or cucumber or whatever inspires me that week) for my water; I’ll do this the same time I am cutting up my veggies on Sunday nights.
• I have a second goal: I’d like to have a pitcher of homemade unsweetened iced tea in the house at all times and plan to make a pitcher for me and the family in interesting flavors. It is a great alternative to plain water and is full of antioxidants.
• Your Drink up goal:

Pamper thyself — Treating ourselves to something special can have emotional and physical benefits. Simple small indulgences, like a manicure, massage, bubble bath can make us look and feel great.

• I love a little pampering, but it can be a feast or famine thing for me. Sometimes I have a good run of making it to get a manicure, haircut, movie or leisurely cup of coffee over the Sunday paper. Sometimes weeks go by without my stopping for air. My goal is to meet a girlfriend for a walk once a week for an hour, manicure or cup of tea.
•  Your Pamper Thyself goal:

Sleep deep — When we are well rested we make better food choices, have more energy to go the gym, walk to work or take time for our favorite activities.

• Honestly, this is the pillar I struggle with the most. I know I function best with 7 hours of sleep per night, so I’m going to schedule my sleep like a doctor’s visit and write into my calendar what time I’ll get to bed and wake each day so that I can stick to it.
• Your Sleep Deep goal:

Sex ed — Oxytocin – a hormone released after orgasm in men and women, through cuddling, and even by simply holding hands – acts as a soothing antioxidant and may make it easier for people to stick to their healthy eating style.

• I’m not letting you into my bedroom goals this time . . . a girl needs a little privacy. But I will share this…My kids are still little. I plan to snuggle them as long as they’ll let me. I’ll get my oxytocin dose while I cuddle them and read chapters of The Little Prince.
• Your Sex Ed goal:

Stress less — Stress increases the level of the hormone cortisol in our bodies, which in turn makes our bodies crave carbohydrates, specifically high sugar carbohydrates, and store fat around the mid-section. So, even if we don’t eat more due to stress we can still gain weight due to stress!

• I’m going to write down the 3 or 4 things that have me most stressed out at the beginning of each day. Having them on paper will help me acknowledge them fully and make them seem less intimidating. I’ll give myself extra points if I write an action plan as to how I am going to manage them before they happen.
• Your Stress Less goal:

Your world — The environment that surrounds us can impact our heath, both our mental and physical health.

• This one is easy. I am going to make a clutter free entry way to my home by setting my family up with labeled hooks, bins and customized areas for their ‘junk.’ I’ve been dying to make that project a reality and will conquer it by the first day of school.
• Your Your World goal:

OK, friends. Get cracking. Of course you can share them with me or a good friend . . . remember to reevaluate often. Happy Labor Day. Enjoy!

It’s warming up outside, but harsh, winter conditions may still be lingering inside; the dryness and dust in re-circulated office air and home heating systems can be enough to keep your sinuses stuffy for weeks at a time. Adding moisture to the air in your space gives your upper respiratory system a break.  Studies show that even people with breathing problems, who sleep with a humidifier feel far more refreshed upon awakening than others. Heading to bed at night should be restorative, not depleting…

NLT: Steam things up. If you need a quick fix to clear your sinuses and wake up dry skin, try heating 1-2 cups of water in a pan on your stove until just steaming (no hotter!). Add 2-3 drops of lavender or jasmine essential oil for a calming scent, or eucalyptus oil to open your airways. Place a large bath towel over your head, lean over the pan, and make a “tent” with the towel. Slowly breathe in the warm air, allowing the vapor to hydrate your sinuses and your skin. Follow with a good face cream to seal all that moisture in.

Trouble sleeping? We all know sex is good for our health, but did you know that getting lucky can actually help you fall asleep? Research shows that the tendency for a person to fall asleep right after sex is associated with a greater desire for bonding and cuddling with their partner. This study also found that women were more likely than men to be the first to fall asleep after intimacy. Get close to your partner and get some shut eye!

NLT: In We Were an Island: The Maine Life of Art & Nan Kellam, Peter Blanchard writes about a couple that kept their relationship wonderful while living alone together on an isolated island for 40 years. Of course, personal space and occasional solitude was essential for each of them nonetheless.

Here are five easy ways to get glamorous for a big day.  Okay, so you may not be walking the red carpet to accept an Oscar, but you may need to ramp yourself up for a big date of your own.  Whether it’s for a date with the man of your dreams, a special birthday, or for that tropical vacation you have planned with your gals, these five tips will help you achieve your ultimate glam.

One Week Countdown:

 1.      Eat Empowered

Order Nutritious Life Meals.  Stop worrying about what extreme diet you need to start and get NLM delivered right to your door.  No more counting calories and no more worrying about getting all the nutrients your body needs to be in top shape.  When time is limited and you can’t afford to waste any precious glam-time at the market and in the kitchen, let Keri work out the menu details for you so you can sit back and relax, and feel confident knowing you are eating empowered.

Fact: Nutritious Life Meals will make you feel better, give you more energy and help you lose weight.  You will eat fresh, portioned, nutrient dense foods to fuel you for your special event and every day after that to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

 2.      Exercise Steady

Get 45 minutes of aerobic exercise and 15 minutes of weight training each day the week before your main event.  Alternate days between different muscle groups to allow muscle recovery and growth time, for example: shoulders, triceps, calves and hamstrings one day; back, biceps, quads and abdominals the next.  And don’t forget to stretch for at least 5 minutes before and after your workout.  The morning of your big day, do some good ol’ classic pushups and crunches to boost blood flow and invigorate you for the night.  Also, most people find more muscle definition in the hours immediately following their work out, which is a nice added bonus.

Fact: You will shed pounds by burning calories in your aerobic exercises and tone muscles with your weight training.  Exercising increases blood flow which helps with circulation giving your skin a healthy glow.  Exercise can also help reduce stress and it can help you sleep better, which are both needed to calm your nerves for your special occasion.

 3.      Sleep Deep

Aim for 8 hours a night, settle for no less than 7.  For some reason sleep has become one of those things that we give up to fit everything else into our busy schedules, but sleep should really be a top priority, especially when we want to be looking and feeling our best.

Fact:  They don’t call it “beauty sleep” for nothing.  While we sleep, our body’s natural antioxidant melatonin, a sleep hormone, fights off free radical invaders.  If you’re not getting enough sleep at night, you’re reducing the amount of time that melatonin gets to fight off wrinkles and those bags under your eyes will only get worse.  By getting enough sleep at night, we will not only look and feel well-rested, but our immune system will be strengthened.  What a bummer it would be to feel sick and run down on the red carpet!

 4.      Drink Up

Drink 8 glasses of water and 2 cups of green tea a day.  The day before your special occasion, drink a cup of dandelion root tea as well.

Fact: Sounds counterintuitive, right?  But by drinking water throughout the day, you reduce bloating, flush out toxins, hydrate your skin to achieve a healthy glow, and keep your digestive organs in good working order.  Green tea has been shown to boost metabolism and dandelion tea will help flush you out, further reducing toxins and any bloating.

 5.      Pamper Thyself

Cleanse!  No time or money to book that expensive facial?  Have no fear, your cleanser is here.  Give this easy homemade cleanser and mask a try and you will almost be able to feel the antioxidants and nutrients seep into your skin making it soft, smooth, and younger looking.  Don’t forget to moisturize twice daily.

Pink Dairy Cleanser: Each day in your countdown, use this quick and easy cleanser by mixing 2 teaspoons milk, 2 teaspoons pink grapefruit juice with pulp, and 2 teaspoons Greek plain yogurt or sour cream until smooth.

Soothing Green and White Mask: 7 days and 4 days before the big day puree ¼ can white beans and 5 cucumber slices in a food processor until smooth.  Gently massage the mask onto your face and let it sit for 15 minutes before rinsing off.

Fact: Pink Dairy Cleanser – the yogurt will gently exfoliate and stimulate collagen, to help firm your skin.  The pink grapefruit will protect your skin from sun damage and the formation of free radicals.  Soothing Green and White Mask – This refreshing mask will help sooth redness and inflammation and leave your skin feeling serene.

You stayed up too late last night, didn’t you? Was it that extra load of laundry or that tv episode or that chapter you had to finish? Give yourself a full night’s sleep tonight, and you need to tell your kids to do the same. A University of Minnesota study showed that teens who received A’s averaged about 15 more minutes of sleep than the B students, who in turn averaged 11 more minutes than the C’s, and the C’s had 10 more minutes than the D’s. Results have been similar for grade schoolers and kindergarteners as well. Next time you tell your kids to ‘Go to bed!” be sure to do the same.

 NLT: If you are getting enough sleep, then you won’t have a reason to hit the snooze button in the morning. But if you MUST, then you might as well save the world at the same time, right? Solution: Download the Snooze alarm app! Every time you hit snooze, a quarter goes into an account, and twice a month, the app will ask if you’d like to donate your collected snooze money to the charity of your choice through LetsGive. 10 more minutes of sleep has never been so kind.

 How many hours of sleep do you normally get? Do you have any rituals that help you get to bed earlier? How many times do you hit the snooze button in the morning?

Need to catch up on some zzzs? Ditch your traditional mattress and try sleeping in a hammock. No longer just a relaxing summertime swing, over 10 million people worldwide are now choosing to sleep in hammocks. Sound crazy? Well, researchers think these rocking cradles may be the answer to your sleep problems. The Journal of Current Biology reports that the gentle rocking motion found in hammocks adds a lulling sense of comfort that helps induce sleep. This not only helps you fall asleep faster but also stay asleep longer. In fact, swaying back and forth increases the time you spend in a deep non-dreaming state, which is the key component to a good night’s sleep. Hammocks also contour to your body’s natural shape, eliminating all pressure points for one enjoyable night of sleep. Turns out babies may not be on the only ones who can benefit from a little gentle rocking when it comes to sleep.

NLT: Sick of those long nights spent tossing and turning? It’s time to invest in your very own peaceful sleep swing! Check out www.hammocks.com to browse a huge selection and find the one that’s right for you. We love the Brazilian hammock: Made out of thick cotton instead of rope, this hammock is not only comfortable but also durable and affordable. What do you have to lose except for a great night’s rest?