Do it! Live it! Feel it! Breathe it! Be it!

Springtime is here! The grass is getting green, and trees and flowers are blooming and the weather is finally warming up! Everyone is doing it… running, biking, walking, swimming, diving, water skiing, sailing, tennis, baseball, basketball, soccer, hiking, climbing…anything that’s outdoors! It’s about breathing in the fresh air and going the extra mile! It’s a passion that’s within, and all it takes is letting go and believing that you can do it, and then going for it! It’s not an easy task to trust yourself, but if “you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it” (William Arthur Ward)

Diet and exercise work hand in hand, and there are wonderful foods that can naturally give you a boost! 

Enjoy a spring time favorite- Green Salad with Asparagus and Peas (adapted from EatingWell).

2 tsps freshly grated lemon zest

¼ cup lemon juice

¼ cup canola oil or extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

2 head Boston or Bibb lettuce (torn into bite size pieces)

2 cups thinly sliced fresh asparagus (about 1 bunch)

2 cups shelled fresh peas

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tbsp minced fresh chives or scallion greens

Combine lemon zest and juice, oil, sugar, salt and pepper in a large salad bowl. Add lettuce, asparagus, peas, tomatoes, and chives (or scallion greens). Toss to coat. Can add grilled shrimp or grilled salmon to top.

Enjoy the spring and the bright days ahead!!!

April Showers Bring May Flowers (so go buy yourself a pretty bouquet to brighten up your day!)

Enjoy the following quotes that will hopefully inspire you to feel and live healthy!

“Discover what you are” –Henry Ward Beecher

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a privilege it is to be alive to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love”- Marcus Aurelius

“The best is yet to be”- Robert Browning

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly”- Buddha

“Never never give up”- Churchill

“If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves”-Thomas Edison

“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity”-Einstein

“It’s never too late to be what you might have been”- George Elliot

“Whatever you are be a good one”- Abraham Lincoln

“Dance as though no one is watching you, love as though you have never been hurt before, sing as though no one can hear you, live as though heaven is on earth”- Souza

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined”-Thoreau

“It’s not the work that’s hard, it’s the discipline”- Anonymous

Another word about going Organic

There are several more foods that are better to buy organic and can have the biggest and healthiest impact on your self and your family.

Milk- Since many children consume a large amount of milk, the levels of certain pesticides are lower in organic milk as compared to conventional milk. This means fewer antibiotics, fewer artificial hormones and fewer pesticides in organic dairy products.

Potatoes- According to the USDA, commercially-farmed potatoes are among the highest pesticide-contaminated vegetables. And, that's even after being washed and peeled (according to the Environmental Working Group). 

Peanut butter-According to the USDA, more acres are devoted to growing peanuts than any other fruits, veggies, or nuts. Many peanut farms use conventional farming practices, using fungicide to treat mold which is common in peanut crops. As peanut butter is a staple in the home, switch to the organic brand (even commercial food firms ie:Smuckers, offer organic). Or, take your kids to the health food store and let them grind their own!

Ketchup- Recent research has shown that organic ketchup has about double the antioxidants of conventional ketchup.

Apples- After bananas, apples are the second most commonly eaten fresh fruit. They are one of the most pesticide-contaminated fruits. So, buy organic apples (and the good news is they are in all the markets!).

Should you buy organic?

The word "organic" refers to the way farmers grow and process agricultural products, such as  fruits, veggies, grains, dairy and meat. It is true that organic foods are better for you and for the environment- there are no pesticides which means healthier soil, water and wildlife. While research is inconclusive, consuming foods that have fewer pesticides and fewer food additives has to be better for you. Unfortunately, buying organic is expensive (although, prices are coming down) and not always available.

But, when shopping, here is a list (based on information by the USDA) of some fruits and veggies that you should purchase organically because they contain pesticides: Nectarines, celery, pears, peaches, apples, cherries, strawberries, grapes, spinach, potatoes, bell peppers, raspberries.

Here is a list of fruits and veggies that you don't have to buy organically (notice that some have a thick inedible skin which protect the fruit): Avocados, bananas, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, corn, kiwi, mangoes, onions, papaya, pineapples.

With regard to milk, eggs, poultry, meat and fish- it can't hurt to buy organic. Do you really want unknown pesticides in your body? Treat your body right by eating healthy and living well.

A great healthy organic recipe to try yourself is from Earhbound Farm Organic Cookbook:

Kathy's Rosemary-Roasted Chicken:

1 small roasting chicken  

olive oil

3 cloves of minced garlic

2 lemons

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves (plus 8 sprigs)

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Coarse kosher salt

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375F

Rinse and remove excess fat of the chicken and pat dry

Place chicken in a roasting pan. Rub with some olive oil and  garlic. Squeeze the juice of the lemons over the chicken and sprinkle with chopped rosemary and salt and pepper. Place the sprigs of rosemary under the skin and under each wing. Place the juiced lemon halves and remaining sprigs in the chicken cavity. 

Bake the chicken breast side up basting it with the pan juices. It should take 1 to 1 1/2 hrs. When it's done, let it rest outside of the oven with loosely covered foil, for about 20 minutes before carving and serving.

To learn more, contact me at rachel@livehealthynyc.com