WHY YOU WANT YOUR PLATE TO BE COLORFUL

The more colorful, the better!  Every color has a different set of nutrients, and that means more health benefits for you.  So mix it up!

• Reds, such as strawberries, tomatoes, apples: Reported to reduce the risk of prostate cancer, high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. They contain many nutrients, including the familiar lycopene.

• Greens, such as spinach, kale, collards, broccoli, asparagus, dandelions: Considered a super (high nutrient) food, greens have been reported to do everything from boosting immunity to improving mood and increasing energy. They also keep you from aging, because their nutrients fight free radicals, those rogue cells responsible for disease and premature aging (i.e., wrinkling)

• Oranges and yellows:  Ever notice that most moisturizers contain vitamin C?  That’s because this vitamin helps promote collagen formation, and the orange and yellows are loaded with it. They also include things like lycopene, which aids eye health, and the oranges and yellows work well with magnesium and calcium to bring you healthy joints and bone health.

NOTE:  While you might think of a lemon as an acidic fruit, it’s actually alkaline—and that’s important to know because you want to keep your blood’s PH well-balanced.  Disease thrives in an acidic environment, while it does not in an alkaline one.

• Eggplant, grapes, blackberries, blueberries and other blues and purples. They’re loaded with vitamin C, fiber, lutein and reversatrol (that means you can have that glass of red wine.) These not only boost immunity, but they fight inflammation (so responsible for many diseases) and even improve mineral absorption.

• Parsnips, bananas, mushrooms, potatoes and other whites: These nutrients increase immunity, balance hormones and reduce the risk of some cancers.

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About Irene:

Irene Ross, CHHC, AADP is an integrative nutrition and holistic wellness coach, speaker, writer and book author.  Her website is:  www.irenefross.com.

For more information, or to schedule a complimentary 30-minute wellness discovery session, please contact me through this website: http://www.irenefross.com/ready-get-started

Special Report: The Five Big Wellness Mistakes Everyone Makes

 

As the New Year rolls around, people vow to lose those last pesky pounds or get rid of some unhealthy habit (such as smoking or lack of exercise)-or to eat more nutritiously, sleep better or-you name it.

Yet, according to According to Medical Daily, 60 percent think they’ll break their New Year’s resolutions! Here’s the good news: With a little knowledge and some easy, quick fixes you can help make 2013 the healthiest year of your life.

Here are the top five wellness mistakes people make:

•NOT GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP: A study by the Archives of Internal Medicine gave 153 people the rhino virus (common cold) by nose drop. It was found that those studied who got at least seven hours of sleep per night were 300% less likely to catch a cold. So here’s the bottom-line: Sleep deprivation leads to exhaustion, which can lead to chronic illnesses and injury–and even possibly weight gain since sleep has a direct effect on 3 hormones that regulate appetite.
•SKIPPING BREAKFAST. Breakfast breaks the overnight fast and will start up your metabolism. If you skip breakfast (or any other meal) your body will think it is starving and will go into protection mode by lowering your metabolism. That means you could actually gain weight by not eating a meal and you’ll be fatigued, overly-stressed, fuzzy-brained and run out mid-morning for that coffee and donut snack. You might possibly overeat at the next meal. too, since your body will insist on making up those lost calories.
•NOT PAYING ENOUGH ATTENTION TO THE TOXINS HIDDEN IN FOODS: For instance, those processed meats, like bacon, hot dogs, and sausage, are often loaded with sodium nitrate, a preservative that can lead to heart problems and Type 2 diabetes; research even points to it possibly increasing your risk of developing certain cancers. Diet soda and artificial sweeteners can lead to prolonged exposure to aspartame, a neurotoxic chemical additive in these products that can result in nerve cell damage, dizziness, and headaches; mass-produced snacks, like cookies and crackers usually include hydrogenated oils to lengthen their shelf life and are also associated with diabetes and heart disease.
•TRYING TO FIGHT, RATHER THAN LEARN, ABOUT YOUR CRAVINGS: Cravings can give us brilliant information about our bodies. For instance, did you know that a sugar craving is often your body’s cry for energy? Deconstruct it: Is that your body’s way of telling you to slow down, engage in some stress reduction, or to relax and sleep a little more?? By the way, once you figure out what the body is telling you, you’ll handle the cravings-and the weight will start releasing.
•NOT EXERCISING ENOUGH: Anyone remember the episode of the television show “Everybody Loves Raymond” when Raymond becomes thrilled with the sudden, dramatic increase in his sex life–until he finds an exercise class flier–featuring the photo of a very handsome instructor on his wife’s bedroom table? He thinks the instructor is the reason for her sudden interest but, when he confronts her, she says: “Has it ever occurred to you that I’m just feeling much better about myself these days?”

So there you have it. Exercise makes us feel better physically and mentally. It fights fatigue by carrying oxygen and nutrients to the cells and helps detoxify the body by getting rid of toxins, accumulated wastes and poisons. It also improves our mood by releasing those natural, feel-good substances, endorphins which, in turn, also help us handle stress and makes us sleep better.

… AND HERE’S A BIG WELLNESS MISTAKE FOR YOUR PET

The wellness-centered family includes everyone, even the 4-legged furry children. Even if we don’t realize it, we pick up on each other’s energy and dynamics. As one vet recently told me, “If someone comes in with an overweight pet, I look first at the owner–and chances are, he or she is also overweight.”

Even if you’re tempted by a rocky economy, don’t cut corners on your pet’s health. February is National Pet Health Month, so earmark it as a reminder to take your furry child in for a check up.

Just as with humans, early detection is best. Regular pet checkups will monitor your animal’s overall health, focus on prevention and education-and, quite possibly, save you money in the long-term.

Think that extra pound or two on your pet is no big deal? Think again: A couple of extra pounds on an animal is comparable to 30-50 pounds on a human.

Please remember also that your pet can’t tell you when it’s in pain; what you might think is just routine bad behavior can actually be an acting out for a tooth-ache, stomach-ache, or something else. Ever hear the story of the cat that urinated in the bathtub? Turns out the cat only wanted to bring her urinary tract infection to the attention of the owner.

“When a problem is still small, it can be less complicated and less expensive to manage, and I see this a lot with dental care,” says Dr. Michael Farber, DVM, of West Chelsea Veterinary in New York City. “Sometimes people will wait until the tooth is abscessed before they come in, but if the problem was caught three or six months prior, that tooth probably could have been saved.”

 

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Irene Ross is a speaker and teacher who conducts workshops for both individuals and corporations. She has also conducted tele-seminars and has also been a guest on tele-summits and radio shows.

Speeches can be a customized, one-of-a-kind program targeted for your audience, or it can be one of her sought-after talks, such as:

• KICKING  YOUR SUGAR CRAVINGS TO THE CURB
• FIRING  UP YOUR DAY
• ARE   YOU SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED?
• WHAT  TO DO WHEN YOU JUST CAN’T SEEM TO LOSE THAT WEIGHT
• THE   WELLNESS-CENTERED FAMILY
• HOW  TO GET YOUR KIDS INTERESTED IN HEALTHY EATING
• HOW   CORPORATE WELLNESS PROGRAMS HELP PRODUCTIVITY, MOTIVATION AND THE  BOTTOM-LINE

Author of the e-book, Sugar’s Sour Story and of the forthcoming book, 25 Ways to Fire Up Your Day: Increase Energy, Get More Done in Less Time, Balance your Life, she is also a wellness pro for the 4-legged, writes frequently on pet nutrition and wellness and is developer of the blog:  www.furryfriendshavefun.wordpress.com

If you or your company would like her to present a workshop, or if you would like her to be a guest on your tele-seminar, tele-summit or radio show, please contact her at: irener@eating4achieving.com.

For more information, please visit:  www.irenefross.com

She will be speaking on a podcast on January 2 at 9:30 AM EST on the topic of gratitude and health when she speaks with Doreen Guma, founder of Time to Play.  Link is: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/timetoplay/2013/01/02/timetoplaycoms-empower-half-hour

The Power of Gratitude

Thanksgiving is a time when most of us think about gratitude, but practicing consistent gratitude could be the key to raising your happiness threshold.

Dr. Robert A. Emmons, a University of California, Davis professor, backs up his claim with eight years of intensive research on gratitude in his best selling book, Thanks! How The New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier. He found that people who view life as a gift and consciously acquire an “attitude of gratitude” will experience multiple advantages.
One of his specific findings: People who were in the gratitude condition felt fully 25% happier, more optimistic and confident. They even did almost 1.5 hours more exercise a week!

Here are some things you might consider doing:

• Keep a gratitude journal. At the end of each day, write down three to five things from the day for which you feel  grateful.  I got an interesting challenge last New Year’s; someone told me to come up with 100 things for which I was grateful.  Now, 2011 wasn’t exactly a great year, so I thought it would be tough.  You know what, though?  I breezed through the first 75, the next 15 were a little tougher but certainly doable.  The last ten were really difficult, but I still managed.
• Express your gratitude. When someone does something nice, say  “thank you”–and mean it. Even if it doesn’t seem important to you, a “thank you” can really touch someone.
• Look for what is right about a situation, not what’s wrong. We tend  to see negatives as stressful, harmful, sad, difficult, unfortunate–but  almost every negative has a positive, somewhere. Negative situations can be opportunities for growth and creativity.
• Practice gratitude with your family and friends. Encourage each  family member to report one thing that happened that day that they feel  grateful for. When you hear a friend moaning and complaining, challenge  him or her to find the hidden opportunity or silver lining to the  situation.

*****

About Irene:

Irene Ross is a certified nutrition and health coach who helps people get off the diet roller coaster–to lose the weight, keep it off, love their healthy, happy bodies,  and let the “fabulousness” shine.

“Healthy weight is a lot more about simply walking away with a list of so-called good foods and bad foods. It’s about a lot of things. Like learning how to balance blood sugar and knowing about the connection between hormones and processed foods and the adrenals and thyroid–among other things. And they need to know that everything feeds us; for instance, career, relationships, self-care, because if just one thing is out of balance they’ll always be, well, hungry.

In short, I help individuals investigate new roads and new areas of development, then provide them with the resources to take action.”

There’s something for every budget, from teleseminars to platinum “Six Step Systems” to VIP Days for those who just want very fast, concentrated results.

Author of the forthcoming book, 25 Ways to Fire Up Your Day: Increase Energy, Get More Done in Less Time, Balance Your Life,  Irene is also a nutrition and wellness pro for our 4-legged furry friends and writes frequently on those topics.

Her twice-monthly, free newsletter, “Power Wellness,” is full of tips, recipes and information on healthy eating and living.  To subscribe to her awesome, free, twice-monthly newsletter, “Power Wellness,” click here.

 

Five Ways to Avoid Winter Weight Gain…OR “How Not to Panic on Memorial Day”

Happens to all of us–those extra winter pounds can really creep up on us, in some hidden and very sneaky ways and then we panic on Memorial Day when we realize we’ll soon be in those skimpy summer clothes.

Winter weight gain isn’t inevitable, though! Here are five ways you can thwart that weight gain:

• Stress and More Stress: One trip to the mailbox can send the heart racing, what with heating, electric and holiday-purchases-come-due bills–and that floods bodies with those waist-thickening “fight or flight” hormones, like Cortisol.

Solution:  Get plenty of Vitamin D, because it has a positive effect on the hormones and immune system, says Naturopathic Physician Dr. Laurie Brodsky, ND. You can also try other stress-busters, such as meditation or yoga.

• Holiday Indulgence:  Halloween’s just around the corner and soon we go into the Thanksgiving-New Year season with parties, treats and groaning buffet tables.

Solution: Remember it’s a 45-day stretch with three holidays, not a 45 day holiday. Practice the “Rule of One.”  Dr. Brodsky explains that this means you fill your plate with one of everything, such as a protein and a green and then have one drink. “That way, you get to taste everything and don’t feel deprived, but you’re still practicing portion control,” she says.

Try to squeeze in an extra workout or two if you know a big party is imminent.

•   Exercise Derailment:  It’s tempting to go right home after work when the days are short and cold.

Solution: Establish a set routine and then mark it in your calendar so it becomes a habit. Habits usually form in 25 to 30 days, says Psychology Today.  Other ideas include partnering with a buddy, or creating exercise routines at home.

“A few rounds of jumping jacks, push ups, and crunches will get your blood flowing and work most of your major muscles,” said Shay DeSilva, founder, Fast Fitness To Go.

• Seasonal Depression:  It can make you irritable, moody and sad, says WebMD.  The shorter, colder days can negatively impact you–and let’s face it, we don’t exactly make the best food choices when we feel that way.

Solution: We tend to crave warm, comfort foods, so keep healthy ones, like a vegetable-laden soup, in easy reach. Protein-rich foods and snacks will balance blood sugar, alleviate mood swings. Brodsky has a great recipe for a pumpkin granola (see recipe in sidebar on the right of this page).  “Pumpkin seeds also contain tryptophan so they’ll help you sleep if you have a handful before bed,” she said. A small piece of chocolate IS okay as long as it contains at least 75 percent cacao.

• Sleep Disruptions. Our sleep can actually be disturbed by too-warm rooms, and sleep has a direct effect on three hormones that regulate stress, energy balance and appetite. When you don’t get enough sleep, cortisol, the stress hormone, elevates glucose and appetites. Ghrelin, which increases appetite, becomes elevated; Leptin, which suppresses appetite and moderates energy balance, is decreased. Lack of sleep also affects your exercise routine.”It’s a negative cycle,” explains Dr. Kathia Roberts, Ph.D., ND, D.PHYT, “Some of my patients tell me they can’t sleep without exercising but then, again, they’re too tired to exercise.”

Solution: Keep your room at 68 to 70 degrees.

***

ABOUT IRENE

Irene Ross is a certified health and nutrition coach who helps people get off the diet roller coaster to make a lifetime of healthy weight maintenance and lifestyle. “Healthy weight is a lot more about simply walking away with a list of so-called good foods and bad foods. It’s about a lot of things. Like learning how to balance blood sugar and knowing about the connection between hormones and processed foods and the adrenals and thyroid–among other things. And they need to know that everything feeds us; for instance, career, relationships, self-care, because if just one thing is out of balance they’ll always be, well, hungry. “In short, I help individuals investigate new roads and new areas of development, then provide them with the resources to take action.” Irene sees people individually or in groups, presents workshops and lectures and creates employee wellness programs. There’s something for every budget, from teleseminars to my platinum “Six Step System to Lose the Weight, Keep it Off and Let Your Fabulousness Shine” to VIP Days for those who just want very fast, concentrated results. Author of the forthcoming book, 25 Ways to Fire Up Your Day: Increase Energy, Get More Done in Less Time, Balance Your Life, Irene is also a nutrition and wellness expert for our 4-legged furry friends, writing frequently on those topics. Her website is:  www.eating4achieving.com.  She also writes a free, twice-monthly newsletter, “Power Wellness,” full of information and suggestions for healthy eating and lifestyle–for BOTH humans and pets.  Subscribers get a free download of her report, “Sugar’s Sour Story.”  To subscribe, click here.

Exercise May Protect Against Emotional Stress, According to Study

Here’s just more proof of the importance of exercise:  On the heels of a news report stating that people who experience intense workplace stress are at greater risk for heart attack, came another report of a study conducted by the University of Maryland School of Public Health suggesting that even moderate exercise can help people cope with the day-to-day anxieties of today’s world.

First, every participant’s stress levels were measured. Then all participants were split up into two groups:  Those who experienced quiet rest for 30 minutes and those who exercised at a moderately intensive pace, like cycling.

They were all shown a series of photographs, ranging from pictures of families, babies and puppies to pictures of appetizing foods and then escalating to violent and gruesome images.

All participants were reassessed, and the researchers compared the effects of 30-minute periods of quiet rest and with those who exercised at moderate-intensity.

Those who exercised showed a lower level of anxiety.

The following statement appeared on the school’s website:

“While it is well-known that exercise improves mood, among other benefits, not as much is known about whether these positive effects endure when we’re faced with everyday stressors once we leave the gym,” explains Dr. J. Carson Smith, the study author and an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology. “We found that exercise helps to buffer the effects of emotional exposure. If you exercise, you’ll not only reduce your anxiety, but you’ll be better able to maintain that reduced anxiety when confronted with emotional events.”

Want to know more benefits of exercise?  Please read my previous post here.

 ***

Weight isn’t the only indicator of overall health and fitness. Irene Ross, CHHC, AADP is a certified health and nutrition coach who helps people get off the diet roller coaster and live a lifetime of health, vitality, passion and overall physical and emotional wellbeing.  Author of the forthcoming book, 25 Ways to Fire Up Your Day:  Increase Energy, Get More Done in Less Time, Balance Your Life, her website is:  www.irenefross.com.  While there, be sure to sign up for her free, twice monthly newsletter, Power Wellness,” full of information on healthy eating and lifestyle.

Also the wellness expert for the 4-legged, she writes a popular pet health blog:  http://www.furryfriendshavefun.wordpress.com.

Five Ways to Get Back in Shape for Summer

Memorial Day, the unofficial start of summer, is just around the corner, and soon we’ll be wearing bathing suits, shorts, sleeveless shirts and other hot-weather clothing.

You may have found that you gained a few pounds or got out of shape during the winter. No need for despair, though–here’s a quick- start guide to help you get back on track quickly!

• Diet: One of the great things about summer is the abundance of fresh, colorful fruits and vegetables. Fill up on them! Remember, the more colorful your plate the better, because every color includes a different set of phytonutrients–those things that keep us healthy. T

TIP: FOR A TASTY LOW-CALORIE SNACK, MAKE ‘ICE ‘CREAM’ FROM BLENDED, FROZEN BANANAS. ADD PECANS, PEANUT BUTTER, BERRIES AND OTHER FRUIT TO MAKE YOUR ‘SUNDAE’

• A word about superfoods: Some foods have very high nutrient levels, and they are called superfoods. They include berries, citrus fruits, and greens, such as broccoli, kale, collards, bok choy, yogurt, pumpkin, chocolate (Yes! but it must have over 65% cacao) and more.
• Water: This substance transports nutrients and oxygen to every cell and you’ll end up feeling more energetic—which means you’ll be more active, burn more calories and spend more time at the gym. How much? Divide your weight in half–that’s how many ounces you probably should drink per day.
• Exercise: I was once told by New York City physician, Dr. Steve Tsoutsouras that exercise was one of the pillars of anti-aging—so you definitely want to add that to your get-back-in-shape program.
• “Taking care of yourself in all aspects is important, and exercise is right at the top,” said Tsoutsouras. “It releases endorphins, which make you feel better and can reduce stress.
• In addition, exercise controls weight; fights fatigue and promotes better sleep.
• “Some of my patients tell me they can’t sleep without exercising,” says Dr. Kathia Roberts, Ph.D., ND, D.PHYT.
• Nutritional Cleansing: While a cleanse isn’t a weight loss program, per se, the happy result can be the loss of a few pounds and you rid your body of toxins, rejuvenate it (who wouldn’t like to look younger and have a lot more energy??), and provide the body with the necessary enzymes to transport nutrients. There are a lot of ways to cleanse, whether it’s with juices or products, but my personal favorite is Isagenix. If you’d like to know more about that, or any other method of cleansing, don’t hesitate to contact me.
• Self- Care: Never minimize the importance of a good massage or any other self-care item! Self-care helps to get your body back in balance and one of the happy results is a lack of depression, fatigue and other energy-zappers. You’ll eat more healthfully, too!

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Irene Ross, CHHC, AADP is a NYC-based, certified nutrition and wellness coach who helps people instantly double their energy so they avoid that mid-morning or afternoon slump, get more done in less time and balance their lives.

Author of the forthcoming book, 25 Ways to Fire Up Your Life:  Increase Energy, Get More Done in Less Time, Balance Your Life, she also writes a popular pet wellness blog: www.furryfriendshavefun.wordpress.com.

What Is Flow–and How Does It keep You Healthy

I recently conducted a survey to find out more about your biggest wellness concerns and furstrations.  Many of you told me one of your biggest challenges was finding time to exercise.  We all know it’s pretty unhealthy to sit at a desk or in front a computer all day–but we all also know just how challenging it can be to find the time.  (And I remember many times when I was just too tired or burned out after a tough day.)

So here’s the story of Flow, with a short video clip, that will give you some suggestions on solving this problem. Flow is a software program built with the primary goal of improving the health of people, especially those who sit in front of computers all day.

By the way, I’d love to hear from you–won’t you please complete this brief (5-10 minutes max) survey. To access:http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e5qxons7h07fvtcv/start

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Florida psychologist Dr. Renee Nasajon, Psy.D,  practices holistic psychology;  that is, she explores the interconnectedness of the mind and body.

Many years ago while working in a hospital, she was able to walk–a LOT. That all ended when she went into private practice. She spends much of her day now in a chair, listening to patients–or in front of a computer doing research. As she says, her metabolism fell into disarray and she started to gain weight little by little.

One day she was on the treadmill at the gym and thought, “I  am so violent with my body! I spend hours almost not moving, and then all of a sudden I bring it here and force it to run and lift weights and do all kinds of extreme things. I’m going to end up hurting myself!”

If she wanted to exercise in an effective and safe manner at the gym, she’d have to find a way to condition her body in preparation.

That’s when she created Flow.

Flow is a video that pops up on your computer screen to guide you through about five minutes of physical activity while still sitting at your desk.

“There is an abundance of emerging research that demonstrates the health-risks associated with sedentariness –spending too many hours without engaging in any kind of physical activity.

Dr. Nasajon continued: “The research shows that if we interrupt that sedentary behavior with just five minutes or so of some kind of physical activity, we can dramatically improve our ability to burn calories, improve our mood, decrease our cravings for sugar, caffeine and nicotine. We become more focused, more energetic, and we can reduce our blood pressure and our risk to develop osteoporosis, diabetes, cholesterol, and even some forms of cancer. ”

Want to check out Flow for yourself?  Watch the video below, for a sampling of working the abdominal at your desk–very simple and effective techniques.

Five Ways to Nourish Your Career, Your Life

I once knew a woman who would come back from her lunch break sleepy and cranky. She’d put her head down on her desk and then arise to shout and snap at co-workers, clients-and, eventually, her boss. She was fired shortly after that incident.

She’d always explain her behavior by saying “It’s the food!” She was actually on to something; food is powerful and can seriously affect your moods and energy levels. Food has the power to heal-or harm.

Whether you’re unemployed and job-hunting, or employed but want to move up the company ladder, you need to stand out from the competition like never before.

Emily Koltnow, president of the executive recruiting firm, Koltnow & Company, says: “All companies look for both professionalism and enthusiasm. If you’re not feeling your best, you won’t be as energetic. Being healthy is a critical component of the interviewing process.”

Another recruiter mentioned to me that, yes, skills on paper are important–but, also, at the end of the day, the prospective employer will look at the entire picture of you.  In other words, “At the end of the day, will that person make my job easier or more difficult?”

Here are five (5) easy, but highly effective, nutritional and lifestyle strategies for maintaining that competitive edge-and your moods.

1. Keep a Food Journal: Everything is food -and it can affect all areas of your day, energy levels, and even your mood. Knowledge is power. So write it down: How do you feel when you eat a certain food or consume a particular meal? Happy? Energetic? Sleepy? Irritable? Examine your results, detect patterns, and avoid problem or trigger foods.

2. Get enough sleep: Everyone should get at least 7.5 hours a night. There are several reasons why adequate sleep is important.

First, when we don’t get enough sleep, we often, naturally turn to comfort foods with high fat, high sugar, and high sodium contents. Those, in themselves, are energy zappers-not to mention the havoc they wreak on your diet.

Second, sleep has a direct effect on three hormones that regulate stress, energy balance and appetite. When you don’t get enough sleep, cortisol, the stress hormone, elevates glucose and appetite; it’s often blamed for thickening mid-sections. Lack of sleep also causes ghrelin, which increases appetite, to increase, and leptin, which suppresses appetite and moderates energy balance, to decrease.

Third, inadequate sleep affects immunity and moods. A few years ago the Archives of Internal Medicine explored the common cold.  Therefore, 153 people received, via nose drop, the rhino virus.  The rhino virus is the virus that gives us the common cold, said New York City Naturopathic Doctor, Peter Bongiorno, ND, LAc.  It was found that those studied, who got at least seven hours of sleep per night, were 300% less likely to catch a cold.  For more information on the study, click here.

Too stressed to sleep? Learn some relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation or yoga.

3. Eat Breakfast: Eating breakfast will keep your energy levels consistent throughout the morning, most likely leading to you making better choices at lunch. When you skip breakfast: you’ll be ravenous and fuzzy by mid-morning, which will probably lead to you reaching for a caffeinated drink or sugary snack to offset the slump. At lunch, you’ll probably be very hungry, and tired, and will binge on sugary foods, causing a mid-afternoon slump. I once worked with a woman who rummaged through the company kitchen by 4:00 PM to look for leftover birthday cake, pizza or other treats. Yet another made a regular run to Baskin-Robbins every afternoon around 3:00.

A good breakfast should include a little protein, whole grains, vegetables and/or fruit.

4. Stay Hydrated: Water transports nutrients and oxygen throughout the body, so drink up-or you’ll feel fatigued if you don’t drink enough. If you wait until you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. If you don’t drink enough, you can experience everything from muscle cramps to headaches, inability to pay attention, and dizziness.

Divide your weight in half-that’s the number of ounces you should drink per day-and substitute a glass of water every time you want to reach for caffeine or sugary drinks.

5. Fit Fare: Eat plenty of whole foods: grains, vegetables, fish and lean proteins. These foods are packed with vitamins, minerals, enzymes and fiber. Grains are a complex carbohydrate, absorbing into the bloodstream at a steady rate, providing long-lasting energy. They also increase serotonin, the substance that makes you feel less stressed. As for veggies, the more colorful the assortment, the better, because each color contains a different set of phytonutrients, thought to promote health. Don’t forget sea vegetables-kelp, dulce, seaweeds, hajiki and nori; they’re loaded with minerals (such as calcium) are an excellent source of Iodine, Vitamin K and B-vitamins. Nori makes a great substitute for bread when creating wraps.

Protein provides amino acids which are building blocks for many things in the body, including playing a role in alertness. It also helps build and maintain body cells and regulate body processes. Fish provides important omega 3’s which appear to have many health benefits for body and brain, including reducing risk for heart disease and improving mood.

Superfoods, called that because of their high nutrient content, include berries, citrus fruits, oats, pumpkin (100% pure-not the pie filling), walnuts, and yogurt. Greens–broccoli, spinach, kale, collards, bok choy–have been linked to everything from improved circulation to promoting healthy immune systems and lessening depression.

***

Irene Ross, CHHC, AADP (www.eating4achieving.com) is a certified nutrition and wellness coach.  She helps people instantly double their energy so they can avoid that mid-morning or afternoon slump, get more done in less time and balance their lives.  Irene writes a newsletter called “Power Wellness” (you can subscribe through her website) and is author of the forthcoming book, 25 Ways To Fire Up Your Day:  Increase Energy, Get More Done in Less Time, Balance Your Life and also writes a popular pet wellness blog:  www.furryfriendshavefun.wordpress.com.

Irene is also a health partner of The Loszach Group, an organization that assesses and analyzes a company’s needs to ensure the most effective wellness program.

Irene is offering a complimentary 30-minute “nutritional breakthrough” session, which can be done either via phone or in-person.  To schedule a session, please contact her through:  www.eating4achieving.com.

Free E-Book To Transform Your Health, Life

Wouldn’t you  like to know just what those cravings are teaching you about your body–or why things like work, relationships and fitness may be more important to your health than actual food.

Download a FREE copy of the e-book, Feed Your Hunger for Health and Happiness, by Joshua Rosenthal, the founder and director of The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and you’ll also find simple, actionable steps to transform the way you eat and live.  Just go to the Home Page of my website, click at the top right where it say “Check It Out”  and then download!

Most of all, you’ll get an introduction to my coaching approach!

Here’s that link again:  http://www.irenefross.com/  As I mentioned, it’s totally FREE.

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Irene Ross, CHHC, AADP is a certified nutrition and wellness coach who helps people alter unhealthy habits so they can bring their lives into balance. She is a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition where she studied over 100 dietary theories, lifestyle management techniques and cutting-edge coaching methods with instructors such as Deepak Chopra, MD; Dr. David Katz: Dr. Mark Hyman; Geneen Roth; Dr. Andrew Weil and many others. She received her board certification from the American Association of Drugless Practitioners.

Author of the forthcoming book, 25 Ways To Fire Up Your Day: Increase Energy, Get More Done in Less Time, Balance Your Life, she is also an Ezine Expert Author  and writes a popular pet wellness blog: www.furryfriendshavefun.wordpress.com.

Five Wellness Resolutions For The New Year

According to Medical Daily, 60 percent think they’ll break their New Year’s resolutions!  Here are five you should keep, though.

1.  Cook More Often At Home.  Cooking feeds the mind, body and soul.  And think about it:  When you do your own cooking, you control what you put in your body.  You’ll probably save money, too, since you won’t be spending as much on eating out–or on those highly processed, chemicalized convenience foods.

2.  Always Eat Breakfast.  Breakfast breaks the overnight fast and will start your metabolism. If you skip breakfast, or any other meal, your body will think it’s starving and will go into protection mode by lowering your metabolism.  That means–you guessed it!–you could actually gain weight by not eating a meal.  You’ll probably overeat at the next meal, too, since you’ll probably be very hungry from skipping before.

3.  Exercise! It can enhance your mood,  control weight and even help to fight fatigue (exercise carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells.)  It can even help promote sleep.  “Some of my patients tell me they can’t sleep without exercising,” said Dr. Kathia Roberts, Ph.D., ND, D.PHYT to me last spring.

4.  Get More Sleep.  I was recently told by Dr. Peter Bongiorno, ND, LAc about a study by the Archives of Internal Medicine where 153 people were given the rhino virus (common cold) by nose drop.  It was found that those studied who got at least seven hours of sleep per night were 300% less likely to catch a cold. So here’s the bottom-line:  Sleep deprivation leads to exhaustion which can lead to chronic illnesses and injury.

5.  Always be prepared for the Snack Attack!  Rather than running out daily for coffee, donuts, cookies or other calorie-laden, energy-draining snacks, keep them fit and healthy. Be prepared for the Snack Attack! Carry little bags of vegetables, fruit, nuts or seeds. Some people even carry a couple of turkey or chicken slices.

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Irene Ross, CHHC, AADP, helps people instantly double their energy so they avoid that mid-morning or afternoon slump, get more done in less time and balance their lives.  Author of the forthcoming book, 25 Ways To Fire Up Your Day: Increase Energy, Get More Done in Less Time, Balance Your Life,  she is also an Ezine Expert Author and a Manhattan Life Coach Examiner  for Examiner.Com.

Irene’s website is:  www.eating4achieving.com.  While there, please sign up for her newsletter, “Power Wellness.”

She also writes a popular pet wellness blog:  www.furryfriendshavefun.wordpress.com.