Newsletter -- February 2008

A Challenge for You ---
Do you think about what you might want to do to be healthy? Try this: pretend you are 100 years old. looking back on your life. Make a list of the ways you want this younger you to live so that when you are 100 you'll be in great shape.

Upcoming Events and Programs ---

• Reiki Level I training:  February 28 o r March 27 9-3 pm - credits for nurses and LMTs open to all. Fee is $150.
• Reiki Master training:   by appointment
• City of Boston Healthy Eating Program March 24
• Belmont Day School Moms and Daughters April 5

Email to register for all classes. Payment due at registration.
Visa and Master Card accepted (do not email credit card numbers)

Nutrition Focus: Clearing Up the Carb Confusion ---
In recent years, especially since Atkins and South Beach came on the scene, carbs have become the villian. It seems there is an underlying misundertsanding of what carbs are and that has led to an overabundance
of high protein consumption. I happened to read a quote by fashion model Tyra Banks saying she’s gotten away from carbs and replaced them with more vegetables in an effort to better manage her weight in healthy ways. Well, vegetables ARE carbohydrates!!!

Carbohydrates are the foods that should comprise the majority of our diet. They are the fuel, the energy we need to maintain a steady output of physical and mental activity throughout the day. The big dividing line of what is good and what is not so good lies within the TYPE of carbohydrate you are consuming.

To keep it simple, feel free to eat whole grains like oatmeal, barley, brown rice, quinoa and couscous. Enjoy bountiful vegetables and fruits that are in season. These are the good carbs and the foods that will provide you with necessary vitamins and minerals and fiber, along with energy. These foods give you a steady feeling of balance and energy from one meal to the next. Improving your carb choices has an immediate effect. One person I’m working with found a tremendous difference in the very first week she made changes, and found her adult daughter asking her where she got her pep.

What is not helpful or healthy is consumption of highly refined and processed carbs, which include refined wheat flour, sugar and highly processed foods like crackers, cookies, bagels, and white pasta. These simple carbs give you a quick spike of energy and send you sliding in a couple of hours, setting you up for craving more because your energy is sapped. If you have mid-morning or mid-afternoon slumps and reach for coffee to keep you going, look at the types of carbs you ate in your last meal and you may find the answer right there.

Not sure how to switch from the simple carbs to the more complex? This is something that takes time and support and it is not a part of mainstream food marketing. But once you have mastery over integrating complex carbs into your daily life, you will recognize how much better you feel and how much easier it is to maintain a healthy weight.

As a Holistic Health Counselor, my approach to supporting people with food choices is somewhat different from the conventionally trained dietician. As you can see from the above list, I advocate simple, clean foods without additives, no sugar substitutes whatsoever and an abundance of complex carbs. When you eat this way, you do not have cravings, you don't feel deprived, and you soon are asked by others "what have you been doing lately - you look great!" This approach really works, because it is a way of life, not a temporary means of losing weight. We are so much more than the sum of calories we consume each day.

In this culture of increasing obesity and food-related illnesses, I am passionate about helping you in wading through the hype and returning to a way of eating that truly nourishes you. We are what we eat, and our cells are an outcome of everything we put in our bodies. When we regularly put healthy, clean foods in our bodies, we enhance our ability to prevent not only weight gain, but also illness and decline.

Recipe of the Month---
Did you know that parsley is a major source of calcium? It contains 203mg of calcium per 3.5oz serving. Milk only has 118 mg in the same amount! So try this recipe, using flat leafed Italian parsley , which is leafy and fragrant, as a bed for a delicious for this delicious salad.

(I found the recipe in the Globe magazine and varied it slightly)

• 1 head cut cauliflower florets 1 c. baby carrots
• 2 oz olive oil 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 t. pepper 1.5 T white wine vinegar
• 1 medium shallot, minced 1/2 t. dijon mustard
• 2 oz. walnut oil 4 c. torn Italian parsley leaves
• 1/2 c. hazelnuts or walnuts, toasted

Preheat over to 450. Mix the cauliflower and olive oil and s &p in a bowl, spread in single layer on rimmed cookie sheet covered with foil. Roast the cauliflower till tender, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and roast for 10 more minutes. Meanwhile, steam carrots in a stovetop steamer 10 minutes till somewhat softened.
Mix vinegar, shallots, mustard. Whisk in the walnut oil until smooth, Season with pepper.

Toss the parsley and 2 T of the dressing to lightly coat and arrange on a serving platter. Then toss the cooled cauliflower and carrots with the remaining dressing to coat and arrange on the parsley. Top with toasted nuts and serve.