Master Your Metabolism Summit

No Fail Technique to “Master Your Metabolism"

My sweet friend, Melissa Schollaert, is hosting an awesome online summit about metabolism and including some of the nations top experts in the field and I am excited to participate and also to share it with all of you!

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Have you ever wondered how to boost your metabolism naturally?
Are you tired of spending countless hours in the gym and counting calories only to feel like you’re getting nowhere?
Do you wonder what it would be like to wake up with energy every morning?
Would you love to make it through your day without coffee, sugar cravings and afternoon trips to the vending machine?

Join us for the "Master Your Metabolism Summit," happening June 15-22, 2014!

Join Melissa as she interviews 25 of the Nation’s top health experts in a conversation about metabolism and how hormones, diet, gut function and lifestyle all have an effect. Learn from the experts how to master this system and create your most vibrant health. At the Master Your Metabolism Summit, our hand-picked team of functional medical doctors, naturopaths, nutritionists, and health experts reveal how you can regain your energy, lose excess body fat, and boost your metabolism naturally through real food, lifestyle changes, and getting the lab testing you need!

Sign up here for a free ticket to this online event and to receive a complimentary gift from Melissa. Please make sure to forward this along to your friends and family - anyone who could use help Mastering their Metabolism.

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Exercise

I read this great article about workouts that we think are good for us, but aren't necessarily the best choice.

On that topic, I had a call with the lovely Melissa Schollaert of Real Nutritious Living about maintaining a healthy weight in a positive way. It was a very inspiring conversation that I want to share with all of you!

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Two of the many perks at my job are (1) we have fully stocked kitchens (at all times) with catered lunch and dinners by awesome SF restaurants and (2) we have a choice between a wellness stipend or a gym membership at an awesome gym a couple of blocks away from the office.

just one of our kitchens, stocked full of snacks! 

Since I got my gym membership when I was brought on permanently, mid- January, I have been trying to get myself into a routine of exercising. The only problem is, it takes an hour for me to get into the city from my house and vice versa so it makes for either a really early morning or a really late night. ::cough::excuses.excuses.excuses::cough::

And since there is constantly food around, all I do is eat. We call it 'the Tagged 15' and I have to admit that this is exactly the truth. I hate to admit that I have gained about 15lbs and need to work to get myself and my body back into a healthy and fit form.

After talked with Melissa, she made the most obvious and profound comment: make smarter choices; socialize at lunchtime; don't starve yourself.

Since talking to Melissa, I have committed to going to the gym 5 days / week in the morning before work, I am making better choices on food: not filling myself to the brim and choosing to snack less and I am overall starting to feel much better about myself and my image.

Again, I know that this is all so obvious, but it really made a difference hearing it from someone else! Thanks, Melissa, I now am well on my way to fitting back into all of my clothes feeling healthier!

I am going to start posting my workouts to help keep myself accountable at the gym. Stay tuned!

Massage Garage

Source: schwaigerhof.at via MaryAnn on Pinterest

My acupuncturist referred me to an inexpensive massage place in Culver City: Massage Garage. I decided to check it out and came across a $40 / 1 hour yelp deal for first timers. I jumped on the deal and was greatly impressed with the service I received.

My masseuse was Nedra and she was fabulous. I asked her to specifically work on certain spots and to be gentle on others. Let me tell you, she did not disappoint! She was very attentive to my needs and I left feeling extremely relaxed.  I woke up the next day a little sore, but who isn't after an awesome massage that worked your muscles?? I definitely recommend this place! Ask for Nedra!

MY Deodorant Debate - Now Solutions

As you know, one of my very sweet friends is a nutritionist by passion and by trade. She has guest posted for me quite a few times: Should I Buy Organic?, Healthy Holidays, Her Personal Health Story, Detox, Daily Detox. You can see a trend in her posts that she talks about healthy eating and keeping our bodies strong and free of harmful ingredients.

She posted about her Great Deodorant Debate on her blog and it really got me thinking...about my pits.

So before all of this...my go-to deodorant was Dove's deodorant/antiperspirant. It works great, I loved the smell etc etc, but I knew that the ingredients in the little stick were not healthy for me or my body. So, I tried the Tom's deodorant and it still didn't seem to cut it. I didn't like the fragrance mixed with my own {ahem} fragrance. And as a backup for special occasions where I didn't want to smell or sweat, I was using Secret Clinical Strength. I know, I know. That is the worst of all the bad deodorants! But I wore it for my graduation, for friend's weddings and at my own wedding because, well, I didn't want to be sweating all over everyone and I wanted to stay smelling flowery and nice! What bride could blame me??



Have no fear, Now Solutions to the rescue!

At the beginning of the year I stopped wearing deodorant. {gasp} I know, gross! But I had been hearing about all of the terrible ingredients in deodorant that can cause all kinds of terrible side effects. And, did I mention, it was ruining my shirts. They all have the deodorant stains that you can't get out! No thanks. Since I was out of commission, so to speak, I had just stopped wearing it, because I didn't really need it, and was using body sprays, essential oils, perfumes etc. They were, marginally, doing the trick so I stuck to it, who am I trying to impress, Netflix? Anyway... to say the least, Melissa's post could not have come at a better time...my husband was starting to sit further away from me on the couch...

If you read Melissa's article you can even see that I was a bit skeptical of the deodorant from my comment: "if it doesn't have a scent how do you smell good?" I mean, right? How does that make any sense? Well let me tell you: it makes all the scents in the world (see what I did there?!)

I bit the bullet and bought the deodorant through amazon. It came in a pack of 2. (You can also check out their website to see if there is a store near you who carries it.) Go. Buy. It. Now. Today. It has changed my life! I know that sounds very dramatic, but it is totally true! It is amazing!

(Before Now Solutions Deodorant: I use Issey Miyake perfume (by the way the cologne is freakin' amazing) and have the lotion and soap. I would put the lotion on my underarms and then spray with the perfume and cross my fingers that that would be enough for the day.)


Quick side note - to use the deodorant (Better term would be "Crystal Stick"), you need to get the stick damp and then generously apply it to your underarm region. Melissa says that she just keeps hers in the shower but since I am a nighttime shower-er I didn't think I would do that...until day 2..

Day 1. I put it on in the morning, and to test it out I didn't put on anything else from my usual underarm routine. I got home from work: no smell. zero. I then proceeded to do a little living room workout action (not intense at all): no smell. zero.

Day 2. Now, at this point, I am trying to outsmart the deodorant...Since I am a nighttime shower-er, I put it on after I got out of the shower when my skin was still a little damp. I went to sleep, woke up the next morning, didn't do my usual routine, went to work, got home aaaannnnnddd: no smell. zero! ahmazing.... I was sold!

Day 3. I applied the deodorant at night after my shower, went to sleep and in the morning performed my usual routine, lotion then perfume - I like my perfume and was missing it during the day! I got home and no smell. Then I worked out, like, sweat a lot and the deodorant really worked! It was like magic.

Now I have to give a quick and heartfelt thank you to my sweet husband for being my underarm smell-tester. What would I do without him? Seriously. What else are husbands for? Or am I the only one who commissions their husband to smell their underarms to test their deodorant? Ok, It's just me? Well I guess I just scored the jackpot on my husband... So now when I get home from work, my pits are the hot topic of conversations. It makes me laugh!

All in all, this deodorant is amazing and I absolutely recommend it! Thanks Melissa for the recommendation!

*this is not a sponsored post...although I would totally be a spokesperson for this company! Inquire within..

Day 20: I am Struggling with Shin Splints

Back in September 2011, I fell on my knee when playing tennis and have been recovering ever since. Basically, the problem was that I had a really tight IT Band which was putting a lot of strain on my knee. It made everything really difficult, to say the least. So skip ahead to this year. My knee is finally not bothering me any more. Now, I am able to wear high heels, run, pretty much do whatever I want without knee pain (side note: I stretch a ton and I use this thing call The Stick every day.)

Now that I am able to run without pain, I have been hitting the pavement, literally, which is causing me to have excruciating shin splints! I was a running high school, if you can call me that, and I remember getting them every now and then, but nothing like this. Granted in high school I would run on a track and in my situation now, I run on the sidewalk and roads which are much harder on our bodies.

So, I run for a couple of days until I can't run anymore, and then I rest for about a week, sometimes more, until I feel better. I repeat this terribly annoying cycle and can't seem to kick it.

Any thoughts/ideas??

Challenge: Get real. Share something you're struggling with right now.

Day 9: A moment in My Day

Challenge: A moment in My Day

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Well, I guess this constitutes for a lot of moments in my day...
As I mentioned/advised yesterday, drink a lot of liquids during the day. This keeps you hydrated, your skin glowing and keeps you active while sitting at work in front of your computer. I, almost like clockwork, get up to use the little girls room every hour. It takes 2 minutes and it also takes effort. I have to get up, walk through the office, open the door, walk down the hall, use said ladies room, and then repeat to get back to my desk.  This little break gives my eyes, wrists, elbows and butt a rest from sitting and staring at a computer screen all day. And it give my legs a little exercise {hey, it's better than nothing, right?}
So...during breakfast, I drink a big glass of water, I also brew a big cup of tea in the morning and drink it when I get to work. I make sure to drink the blue bottle of water (lemon water, thanks RNL) all in the first four hours and then the second 1/2 of my day I drink the purple bottle(regular water). When I get home, I fill up the purple bottle again and drink at least another one at night!

How to Create a Daily Detox

How to Create a Daily Detox…..

By: Melissa Schollaert, RDH, HHC 

Spring is a time of renewal and refreshment.  It’s usually a time where we doing some “spring cleaning” around our house, yards, and cars. We also usually begin to enjoy being outdoors more, increase our exercise and start to crave lighter, and typically healthier foods, such as salads and smoothies. We naturally start an internal spring cleaning. This is essential because we are surrounded by chemicals, air filled with metal, and foods containing pesticides.  Our beauty and cleaning products contain chemicals, which can all end up leading to a toxin burden within our systems. Yuck, right?? And we know this toxic burden brings fatigue, breakouts, unwanted weight, mental fog, makes us sick, gives us dull hair, and more. Well, no worries friend. I’m going to give you a few practical tips to make each day and internal spring cleaning that will translate to the outside as well.  

1. Start your day with warm water with a squeeze of lemon. This will “wake up” the digestive system and alkalize your system. It’ll help clear up your skin, aid in weight loss and act as a diuretic to flush out any bloating. Want to kick it up a notch? Add a pinch of cayenne pepper. 

2. Ditch the coffee. Coffee puts heavy burden on your adrenal hormones (essential for energy), acidifies the system, and dehydrates you, leaving you exhausted and looking old. It’s also full of pesticides. Switch to an organic antioxidant rich (think young, beautiful, energetic) herbal tea, such as yerba mate. 

3. Dry skin brush every day. It clears the skin of debris, promotes circulation, assists in movement of lymph and waste removal, and helps with pesky cellulite. Look for a natural-bristle brush at a health food store. Aim for two minutes of circular scrubbing and give those dimply (toxic) areas some extra attention. 

4. Sweat each day. Now that your skin is opened up, break a sweat to assist your body in its big job of daily chemical removal. If you’re too tired to exercise, hit the sauna, steam room, or take a hot bath. Do what you must to sweat. You will feel the difference. 

5. Finish your morning shower by alternating between water temperatures as hot and cold as you can stand. The technique increases circulation, which in turn flushes the lymphatic system, keeping you healthier by boosting the immune system. 

Finally, if you’re feeling like you need a deeper spring cleanse, please seek the guidance of a professional Holistic Health Counselor, Naturopath or Integrative doctor. A professional will be able to assist you through your cleanse to be sure you get optimal results, as well as help guide you through any side effects or symptoms. Because we are all so different, a health care professional will also be able to make the best recommendations for you with regard to your health and lifestyle.

Melissa Schollaert is a Holistic Health & Nutrition Counselor and founder of Real Nutritious Living. She's been an on-camera expert for ABC, NBC, and GoodDayLive, with her writing published on a number of healthy living and nutrition websites. She also teaches cooking classes and workshops at Whole Foods and various other retail outlets.  She’s an avid yogi, always improving surfer, and a firm believer in faith, love, and the healing power of green juice. She’s got a heart for helping others achieve their health goals to attain their healthiest happiest life.  Check out her website, Follow her blog, “Like” her on FaceBook, and enjoy tips and tweeting here.

Health - Guest Blogger

Todays guest blogger is one of my favorite bloggers!

She writes about life and is so honest & real!

Definitely check her blog out!

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hey ladies!!! im lindsay and i blog over at lindsay alexis, come check me out ;) im

helping my dear blogger friend out today as she is kinda out of commission from the

computy. we all hope you get better soon lady!!

i am going to talk about how health and fitness is a huge part of my life. truthfully i

was never interested in any of it until i met my husband. i had my times when i was

younger i am in my last year of my 20s now, dont feel too young anymore where

i went to the gym. ate healthy. then stopped a month or so later. when i met my

husband, who is a marine like la tache's, that all changed. i was forced into it.

kidding....sort of ;)

health is a lifestyle for me. it isn't something i am forced to do. it isn't something that

i just do sometimes and then stop. it is something i enjoy. something that makes me

feel great. something that my husband and i do together. because we all know there

are plenty of couples out there that one is totally into fitness and being healthy and the

other is lazy. we have all seen those people.

being healthy is something you have to want. something you have to have dedication

for. it doesn't come easy. it doesn't really come cheap either. haven't you ever noticed

if you go to let say, the habit (hubs favorite 'fast food'), a cheeseburger is about three

bucks. a salad is about 7 bucks. seriously?!?! i know the lettuce is literally from a mix

bag of greens with a piece of chicken on it. but...that is how our society operates. so

if you are on a budget so to speak, you both would get a cheeseburger rather than the

healthy option. but if you are dedicated. motivated. you would spend the money and

get the salad. OR you would go home and make something to eat.

hubs and i have actually started doing this much more recently. if we are out and

about in our area and we get hungry. we go home to make lunch, then go back out

and continue our errands. if we are planning to be out all day, we either grab a protein

bar or make sure we stop somewhere to eat that has healthier options and we split the

meal. there are so many options on what to do and how to change your ways, you just

have to be creative and really want it. bring homemade lunch to work, don't buy fast

food. make dinner at home, don't grab something on the way home. once you get into

the groove it gets easier...promise ;)

{via}

i also believe being healthy and being active go hand in hand. if you want to be

healthy, you have to eat good fresh foods. but you also have to get your butt movin'!

you have to get your heart rate up. you have to sweat. i seriously love when i sweat.

it means i am working my butt off and keeping my heart healthy. i love it! is it weird

that i love when i see sweat on my shirt too? kinda gross, but man it feels amazing. no

joke! trust me ;)

my husband and i work out together. so this being healthy business i guess is a group

effort in the A household. we push each other. we motivate each other. we are proud

of each other. seriously proud. the other day my husband actually told me how proud

he is of me because i am making exercise a priority. a top priority. and i cannot tell

you how amazing that felt. how giddy i felt. i loved hearing those words.

now we do indulge at times. we do treat ourselves to something sweet or alcoholic,

but you have to remember to do it in moderation. everything in moderation. this

month my husband and i gave up alcohol. no alcohol/wine for the entire month of

january. just to challenge ourselves. it has been hard, especially after a crappy day at

work. but we are almost there and you know what, i feel great. i am proud of us. might

be smaller steps for you...but you gotta be dedicated to be healthy. now...head over to

my favorite store, trader joe's, and get yourselves some healthy options. promise you

will not regret it ;)

{via}

Detox - Guest Post

From the last week of October or Halloween, through the New Year we over-indulge in alcohol, caffeine, sugar, fried food, lower quality cheap party food and baked goods and we leave often exercise by the wayside.  That is equal to nine plus weeks of having our routines turned upside down.  By now, we likely have no energy, aren’t sleeping well, are bloated, and probably a bit moody. So of course, we go on a strict diet and renounce everything we like and begin a rigid, regimented diet protocol…until it becomes too hard.

Consider this; Overindulgence and renunciation are essentially the same thing and they will always create cravings for one another. One way to permanently defeat this vicious cycle is take an interest in learning how to upgrade your food, so that you can still eat foods you enjoy and you don’t feel like you have to deny yourself. There are tons of healthy foods out there that taste fantastic and that can be great substitutes for similar foods, which deplete our health.  Think about swapping white potatoes for sweet, white pasta for brown rice pasta, olive oil for vegetable, and making some of your favorite “junk” food from scratch at home. Cooking at home will always be more healthy than take out or anything that comes from a box.  Practice one new food item a week and before you know it, you’ll have a myriad of new favorite foods right at your fingertips.  

Ok, maybe this is all good advice but you’re looking for some serious post-holiday tips to really help you hit that reset button. Not to worry, I’ve got your back girlfriend!!

To get this detox train rolling, we’ve got to talk about coffee or caffeine first thing in the morning.  What coffee or other caffeinated beverages do first thing in the morning are raise cortisol levels, you know,  the stress hormone, the one we have always heard makes us fat. Well, here’s why, cortisol ultimately causes cravings for sweets, like those inherit, genetic; I’m going to win type of craving for sweets. Cortisol is also guilty of robbing our body of precious B vitamins. B vitamins are eleven members of what's known as the vitamin B complex are critical nutrients for all things mind-related: mood, memory, even migraines benefit from the B vitamins. In the right amounts, the B's can quell anxiety, lift depression, ease PMS (wohoo, you feel me girls- and boys), and boost your energy. Some B vitamins help cells burn fats and glucose for energy. Others help make neurotransmitters like serotonin (the feel good hormone). And some B's assist with the production and repair of DNA. You can see how key it is that we not rob our bodies of these precious vitamins, particularly when we are resetting after the holidays.  A much better start in the morning is some hot lemon water, especially when we are wanting to detox.  To bump it up a notch add a pinch of cayenne. This will cleanse and alkalize your system.

Next, we want to have a well-balanced breakfast to get our metabolism going and the liver working well. We must eat a breakfast containing healthy fat and protein within an hour of waking (even if you are not hungry). This will help reset your metabolism and feed your stress hormones. Waking up hungry signals a healthy liver, while being turned off by food upon waking is a sign of a sluggish liver. Your liver is your main detox organ so it’s imperative we’ve got it running on all cylinders. Skipping breakfast slows down our metabolism and our darling detox organ. A sluggish liver will make it very hard to lose or maintain weight, as well as stay healthy during cold and flu season.

What if you’re a busy girl and don’t have time for breakfast? Try a handful of raw nuts with a banana or a perfect food bar. It doesn’t get any easy or more portable than that, so no whining. Eat your breakfast!! My raw cereal is fabulously delicious and you can even make it the night before so it’s all ready when you’re time pressed in the morning:

 http://melissa-schollaert.healthcoach1.integrativenutrition.com/melissas-raw-breakfast-cereal

Ok, so you’ve had your lemon water and are well fed. What’s next? Well lovely, greens, greens, greens! Why do you need to be so green you ask, well for starters green vegetables are the foods most missing in modern diets and you need some color! Learning to cook and eat greens is essential to creating you most vibrant health. When you nourish yourself with greens, you will naturally crowd out the foods that make you sick, fat or detract from your best possible health. Greens strengthen the blood and respiratory system. One of my favorite greens factoids is that they clear congestion, which is so vital this time of the year when everyone’s all sniffly and feeling icky.  In Asian medicine, greens are related to the liver, emotional stability and creativity. Here’s what I’ve found with greens, if they’re made to taste well, you’ll always likely reach for them, your body will literally crave them. Try my collard wraps for lunch http://melissa-schollaert.healthcoach1.integrativenutrition.com/raw-mediterranean-collard-wrap-zucchini-hummus and get a double dose of greens! Add some sprouts for an extra nutritional bonus. 

Green drinks are also an easy way to get those life giving greens down the hatch. My favorite is the Evolution Green line. Try the sweet greens first and graduate up to essential greens. Most importantly when juice shopping, make sure it’s organic and cold pressed.  

Last stop on our post-Holiday reset tour, healthy carbs. Carbs you say….what, no, I couldn’t. Yes, you can and must!! It is important to make sure you are eating 3 or more servings of complex carbohydrates daily. That includes beans, whole grains like brown rice and root vegetables like sweet potatoes. This will slow down the release of glucose in your system and give you the necessary B vitamins that the holiday free-for-all stripped away. Sugar cravings fall away on their own like this instead of you having to “muscle through it”. Try my ultra-tasty sweet potato fries:

  http://melissa-schollaert.healthcoach1.integrativenutrition.com/sweet-potato-fries-5  

If you’re in the mood for something extra sweet, serve ‘em up with a dash of Ceylon cinnamon and sea salt. Mmm!

It has been a pleasure spending some time with you friends! I hope these tips will help you reset and renew in this already quickly moving New Year.  I am always here to support you, so if you’d like to talk about your health and how I can support you to finally reach your personal goals, please simply email me at: realnutritiousliving@yahoo.com or call 916-792-4281 An initial consult is always free and at no obligation.

I wish you a happy and healthy 2013!

Don’t forget to “like” our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/realnutritiousliving

Let’s connect on twitter too! https://twitter.com/realnutritious

Like Pix? We’re on Instagram: http://instagram.com/realnutritiousliving

Ok…almost done we just can’t leave out Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/realnl/

“Spread love wherever you go, let no one ever come to you without leaving happier”- Mother Teresa

Heath - Guest Post

The lovely Melissa S has volunteered to guest blog for me today about Health and what it means to her.

She has posted for me in the past, about health, here & here and will be posted again during my blogging hiatus. 

I read her post and have to thank you for her candidness and how "authentic" (as she puts it) she was!

I appreciate it and believe that you all well do the same!

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I always get so excited when La Tache asks me to blog for her. I love her blog. She is fun, positive,

and above all, real or as I like to call it authentic (just ask my friends, it’s literally my favorite word.)

Authenticity and health are both very near and dear to my heart, so what I want to share with you is my

story and what health means to me, as authentically as I possibly can.

I was to be married in August of 2009. It was your typical ultra-romantic military proposal from afar,

swoon. But, it was such a stressful time, just like every girl experiences. My love was away for another

deployment as I planned our wedding stateside, and alone. I had always exercised, but nothing crazy.

My motto has always been “doing something is better than nothing”. Meaning a twenty minute walk

or a few push-ups, crunches and squats are better than checking in on Facebook again. Well, I decided

I should jump on the bandwagon and start doing boot camp and lots of it as a stress release and way

to get it tip top bridal shape. Well, I will say, it worked, but I was uber stressed and being woke up

in the middle of the night by my blue eyed darling’s phone calls leading to lack of shut eye or at least

extremely screwed up sleep cycles. I wasn’t aware at the time, but this was breaking y system down,

fast. I had also started to realize that flour wasn’t agreeing with me and kind of half cut it out. Well, fast

forward to my sweet pea coming home and a whole new set of stressors. Military wives, you know what

I am talking about!!

Next, we moved across the country away from my So Cal paradise….eek!!! More stress. And some

family stuff began to hit the wall, as often happens during weddings. But as you can see, we’re

developing a repetitious and ugly pattern here and its name is stress!! Slowly, I felt like I couldn’t get

out of bed in the morning. I kept getting sinus infections and became intolerant to my beloved pinot,

grrr. I also could not stand the smell of cologne, perfume and smoke. All of the sudden recurrent UTI’s

kicked in, which also really put a damper on the newlywed fun. Within a few months of the wedding, I

was knockdown; drag out sick three weeks out of four each month. My skin had always been fantastic,

but not anymore. I was also always cold, intolerant to heat, would kill if my next meal didn’t come in

time, I was achy everywhere constantly, was sick if I did a real booty busting workout and to top it off,

I now had acne that would not let up. Oh and I forgot to mention, my hair wouldn’t grow and about

half of it fell out ….holy heck!! I was constantly on this antibiotic, taking this spray, popping that over

the counter reliever, scheduling with this specialist, writing another check my ass couldn’t cover for

that Doc. I was sick, depressed and beginning to feel pretty hopeless. I was doing everything the MD’s

told me and getting worse. I even told my husband I understood if it was all too much for him to take.

This was certainly no newlywed fairytale! I was honestly waiting for a diagnosis of the worst kind. Mrs.

Schollaert....you have “X” amount of time left on this earth because of this cancer (or insert any other

crazy syndrome/disease/condition you can imagine!) I know that sound dramatic, but I was barely thirty,

this was craziness!!!

A bit of time goes by, I’m fighting the fight, and then I get the news. You have to have surgery.

Your right ear drum has been eaten away. It’s gone. We “simply” have to cut open your head, take

bone out of your skull and make a new ear drum. And all at the bargain price of about $30k!! This was

all under my stellar medical care and prescription meds!! WTF, I mean seriously! So that was it. After

much prayer and searching, and being down right pissed off at my shotty situation, I began working

with a terrific Holistic Health and Nutrition Counselor. Turns out I had severe vitamin deficiencies, a low

thyroid, candida, and heavy metal toxicity, hormones in the trash, several food allergies, severe adrenal

fatigue, and loads of inflammation. We began the long process of slowly healing. But, I tell you in just 3

days on the upgraded organic and natural route, I was feeling a noticeably better.

Health became defined differently to me after my experience. Health was no longer skinny,

the new cool detox, workout class, or newsstand advice. Health became organic eating, a clean and

chemical free home, stress reduction and management, meditation and spirituality on a new level.

Health is loving myself and others honestly and authentically. Health is learning to say no to others,

yes to green juice and way higher grocery bills. Health now includes seeing things as I never did

before. Meals are sacred and slow, and if an animal is involved, I know where it came from, how it was

treated and it is honored before entering my body. Yoga is now regular and boot camp extremely rare.

Supplements get my shoe money now and packaged foods have no place in my home. There is literally

a sign on our front door with a big X through the word stress.

One of the most valuable lessons I learned was to be highly selective about anyone involved in

my health. If it isn’t covered by insurance, but feels right, it’ll work itself out. Our family lives on far less

financially than we once did, we spend more on self-care and top quality food and supplement’s, and

somehow it feels like we have more. The universe honors us when we honor ourselves.

My experience was horrible; I am in fact still recovering. I have taken my recovery time to

learn everything I can and whole heartedly believe I went through this process to help others. I have

dedicated my life to helping others achieve their happiest, healthiest life possible. I am now a Holistic

Health and Nutrition Counselor and I founded Real Nutritious Living last year. I currently do private and

group counseling, corporate wellness programming, grocery store tours, cooking classes and in-home

intensives. My new office in the not for profit Maple Center opens February 1 and you can visit me

during my monthly Whole Foods cooking class free. Skype and phone counseling is always available.

I would love to take this opportunity to thank you for allowing me to share my story with

you. My hope is that some part of it spoke to you and you have learned something from my awful

experience. I would also love to personally invite you to sign up for my monthly newsletter and better

yet, why not spend a half hour or so speaking with me about your health and wellness goals? It would

be a free consultation where we would talk about your goals and what you want for your life. And it

would give you an idea of how I could support you to your happiest, healthiest, and most energetic life

possible. Above all, I would truly love to meet you! Simply email realnutritiousliving@yahoo.com or call

Melissa at 916-792-4281

Don’t forget to “like” our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/realnutritiousliving

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“Spread love wherever you go, let no one ever come to you without leaving happier”- Mother Teresa

Healthy Holidays…..It’s not too late!!!!

Guest Post By: Melissa Schollaert

I almost hate to say this, but Christmas is almost here (deep breath- you will get everything done!) If you’re anything like me, it can feel like all is lost in the waist line department. It’s hard to find time to be physically active, you’re stressed out, and grabbing whatever little cookie or holiday treat will suffice, so long as you don’t pass out and have time to get all of today’s chores done.  Now I’m here to tell you that you can have healthier holidays. Yeah right, with what time??  I know….stick with me, I’ll show you how.

First, let’s talk a couple quick and easy substitutions in cooking. These are game changers when it comes to weight loss and maintenance during the holidays.

Instead of typical mashed potatoes, try my healthy cauliflower mashers (recipe here) This tasty dish will save you 180 calories per serving and add desperately needed holiday fiber. 

And how about shaving off a few more calories, adding some more fiber, incorporating some seasonal fruit and sacrificing zero taste?? This one’s simple….use unsweetened applesauce as a healthy substitute for eggs, sugar, or oil in your baking. It measures cup for cup, but if subbing for oil add an extra 1/4 to 1/3 cup of what the recipe calls for to keep it moist.

Ok, how can you keep yourself in check the day of an event?  Well, my favorite rule of thumb is go to your event with a specific plan. I know this sounds really easy, but have you ever really thought about it? Let me give you a specific example. My grandmother is a fabulous baker, but she’s also got boxed candies, store bought goodies, and the neighbors creepy fruitcake on the dessert table. If I do not go with a plan of what exactly I want, I completely overindulge in things I never even wanted to eat. Plan on eating exactly what you want the most, make a plate of your favorite things, and savor each and every bite. When you are finished, position yourself away from the buffet, get a glass of water to keep hydrated and keep your mouth busy with a stick of gum. These last steps help you to avoid recreational eating.

My favorite practical, overall seasonal, tip goes against everything as American as paying taxes, but has to be said. Plan on NOT dieting after the New Year. Anticipation of food restriction sets us up for binge type eating over the holidays. It’s the idea of I’m never going to have cookies (or insert your favorite food) again after the first, so I may as well eat as much as possible now. I myself have eaten half a pie because of this type of thinking, and felt horrible mentally and physically afterword. And we all know restrictive diets do not work in the long run.  They slow metabolism, while increasing anxiety, depression, food preoccupation, and binge eating, as well as making it more likely to re-gain weight. Do yourself a favor, eliminate this type of thinking and you’ll likely start your New Year better than ever before. Who wants the guilt of quitting that new diet by the third or fourth anyway??  

Remember, the food we eat is very important for health and balance, but what really feeds us does not come on a plate. Things that feed us are open and honest relationships, creative outlets, exercise and spirituality. These are the things I would encourage you to feed yourself an abundance of this holiday season in order to stay balanced, nourished and get the most out of this holiday season.

I know I cannot possibly cover everything in one article so, I’d love to invite you to a free recording of my entire Healthy Holiday Workshop (Dial 1(862) 902-0123 and enter Recording ID: 12644955 when prompted). The audio is 31 minutes and is guaranteed to help you maintain weight, feel more balanced and more thoroughly enjoy the rest of the holiday season. As a holiday gift to you, simply email realnutritiousliving@yahoo.com for your free healthy substitution guide (this is great to hang on your fridge and use year round!)

Lastly, I am giving away a free private health counseling session. Simply email realnutritiousliving@yahoo.com or comment below after you've listened to the recording with your favorite tip and you’re entered in the drawing to win! For additional chances to win, simple share this post on Facebook or Twitter (and let us know you did so!)

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Thanks, Melissa!

I had the honor of listening in on the Holiday Workshop, live, and it was phenomenal!

She mentions great tips and has great ideas for staying healthy, while indulging, during the holidays!

Who knew you could have both!

:-)

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About Melissa Schollaert 

An Indiana girl at heart with her toes in the California sand, Melissa Schollaert is a Holistic Health and Nutrition Counselor, the founder of Real Nutritious Living, teacher of monthly workshops at Whole Foods, and has been published on various health websites. She’s an avid yogi, always improving surfer, and a firm believer in faith, love, and the healing power of green juice. She’s got a heart for helping others achieve their health goals to attain their healthiest happiest life.

For more information visit www.RealNutritiousLiving.com

Twitter.com/realnutritious 

Facebook.com/Realnutritiousliving

Pinterest.com/RealNL

Yogi Words of Wisdom

I go to a yoga class once a week, one of a few weekly exercise classes I take.

The most recent class was not necessary the best in terms of practice, but it really got my thinking...

(I know you are saying to yourself, "You shouldn't be thinking during yoga, only breathing")

Well, we had a sub instructor and at the beginning of the class she had us all make an intention for the class. This intention is meant to focus the mind when it starts to wonder to other things.

For the intention, she had us think of the 5 most beautiful things.

That's it.

It is harder than it sounds.

Believe me.

So as my hour and a half yoga session continued, I thought about the 5 most beautiful things.

I first thought about a sunset,

then flowers,

then Lake Tahoe & Yosemite.

My mind went through all of the tangible things that I find to be beautiful.

And as I got deeper into my practice I realized that, yes those things are beautiful, but that is not what I want to focus my attention on. 

I don't want to focus on tangible things, events or places.

In the last few minutes of my practice and into the night and as I fell asleep I thought of the 5 most beautiful things:

Love

Friendship

Family

Romance

Laughter

(in no particular order, of course!)

Those five things brought me peace during and after my yoga practice and I hope that they also bring me calm throughout my working and personal days as well.

What do you think are the 5 most beautiful things?

The Hidden Benefit of Exercise

As I have shared before, we get a monthly lifestyle email at work.

I thought this one was, also, share-worthy!

Happy Hump Day, Wednesday!

Exercise to Detoxify

We all know that exercise has many benefits…..it helps us maintain a healthy weight, tones our muscles, increases our circulation and breathing, and increases the strength of our heart. But there is another important, hidden benefit of exercising. It helps to detoxify the body. Our bodies naturally detoxify every day. Detoxification, which is cleaning of the blood and the internal organs, is a normal body process of eliminating or neutralizing toxins in the body. It does this mainly by removing impurities from the blood in the liver, where toxins are processed for elimination. The body also eliminates toxins through the kidneys, intestines, lungs, lymph and skin. Just as our hearts beat nonstop and our lungs breathe continuously, our metabolic processes continuously dispose of accumulated toxic matter.

How Exercise Detoxifies the Body

The body is engineered to heal itself and get rid of toxins. With exercise, you clean all of your internal organs at the same time. Exercise helps the body’s organs of elimination to function optimally simply by getting them stimulated. Exercise increases the circulation of your body fluids, the blood and lymph. The blood and lymphatic fluids distribute essential nutrients to the cells and remove metabolic waste and other toxic substances from the cells.

Exercise Burns Fat

When we exercise, the body burns fat and reduces our subcutaneous fatty tissue. When toxins build up in the body, they get stored in our body tissue, specifically in our body fat. Aerobic exercise burns the fat and tissue containing toxins and releases the toxins into the body to be eliminated through the cleansing organs. Once these toxins are released into the blood stream, it's the job of the lymphatic system to remove them.

Exercise Improves the Function of the Lymphatic System

The lymphatic system is part of the immune system responsible for transporting white blood cells and other immune cells in and out of the bloodstream, as well as transporting bacteria to the lymph nodes to be destroyed. Exercise improves the function of the lymphatic system by helping it move lymph fluid through the vessels in the body. Unlike blood circulation which is powered by the heart, the lymphatic system has no pump to help the lymph fluid circulate through the body. It relies solely on the body’s movements for circulation. During resistance training, or strength training exercises, your breathing rate increases along with the rate of contraction in your skeletal muscles. The increased breathing and skeletal contractions cause your muscles to push or pull against a force which results in your muscles pushing fluid from your tissues, thus increasing the flow of lymph fluid throughout your body.

Exercises That Enhance Detoxification and Stimulate the Lymphatic System

Any type of aerobic exercise that gets your whole body moving, increases your heart rate and gets your body fluids circulating will benefit you, along with some stretching exercises:

 ·        Walking

·        Jogging

·        Swimming

·        Bicycling

·        Dancing

·        Jumping Rope*

·        Rebounding* (Bouncing on a trampoline, it’s less strenuous on the joints)

·        Strength Training (lifting light weights)

·        Resistance Training (exercising in a pool, using the water as resistance)

·        Yoga (massages the internal organs)

*These exercises are great for lymph flow.

Give Your Body a Boost and Renew

Exercise is an effective way to help your body detoxify and it should become a regular part of your life. If you are feeling tired and sluggish, engage in some regular exercise. Increased respiration and circulation support and help the body’s detoxification process. Practice deep abdominal breathing while exercising to help stimulate your lymphatic system. Remember to drink lots of water, as the combination of good hydration and exercise helps to flush your system of toxins.

If you currently do not exercise, you should consult your physician before you begin any type of exercise routine or program. Always start out slowly when beginning an exercise routine.  Your strength and endurance will build up over time if you stay on a regular and consistent schedule.

Sources:

Linda Rector-Page, N.D. Ph.D.; Author, Healthy Healing: An Alternative Healing Reference

© 1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER):  Lymphatic System

www.mayoclinic.com

Copyright © 2012 Demand Media | LIVESTRONG.COM:  Does Physical Exercise Cleanse Your Body?

www.the-natural-path.com:  Benefit of Exercise

Copyright © 2006 Lymphatic Research Foundation, Inc:  Importance of the Lymphatic System

MIA

Hey All! Happy New Year!

I have been MIA for the last {about} 3 weeks...

{now you know my secret...I have a few posts scheduled...I just don't want to bombard you all with customer service stories all at once....}

I was not allowed to type, due to some elbow pain/discomfort and so that is the reason I haven't been on the computer - much.

{The dr didn't say anything about texting and updating twitter...}

I will slowly come back to the blogging world.

I hope you all had a fun, safe and fabulous New Year!

Cheers to 2012!

Real Weddings & What If's

Our Wedding was featured online at Real Weddings Magazine!

Check it out here & here!

Super exciting!!

I have seen this on a few blogs and thought that the questions were interesting so I thought I'd give it a try!

What if I were to get pregnant? 

I would not be too excited about it at first. we are not in a place to start having children, not for a while.

What if I could have any job in  the world? 

I would work for a non-profit organization, doing anything and everything.

Anyone know of one in LA? ha!

What if I had a day to myself?I would pamper myself.

I'd get a manicure, pedicure & a massage  

What if I could get married all over again? 

I am not totally sure how to interpret this question...

We had a blast at our wedding, definitely the best party/celebration ever but it was stressful to plan.

I think that if we were to get married again, it would be at a winery with a small group of our close family and friends.

We had the big party - definitely would want to have a smaller one :-)

What if I could live anywhere in the U.S.? 

All money aside...San Francisco. It is the best city, the most beautiful cityWhat, if I were to have more children? 

I don't have any right now, and we want to keep it that way...

What if I could have any talent in the world? 

I would love to be an artist

What if you met me in real life? 

I would ask you very person details about your life. Not to be rude or nosey...I am just curious. You would do most of the talking and I would ask your lots of questions and I would listen, really listen to your answers, because I care.

What if I went back to school?  

I would get an MBA

What if money weren't an object?

I would travel the world and get involved with every charity there ever was :-)

What if I could meet one celebrity? 

I would pee my pants if I met Celine Dion - seriously

I cried when I saw her in concert

Tears of joy, of course :-)

What if I could only shop at one store for the rest of my life?

It would be Banana Republic

I love all of their clothes!

What if I could choose an animal/pet?

Between you and I, I wouldn't

Between my husband and I, we would get a husky or a malamute :-)

What if I could go on a trip right now? 

I would go to New York for New Years

What if I had to choose between a house cleaner and a professional chef? 

Definitely a house cleaner. 

I love to cook. 

If I didn't have to clean another day in my life, I would be a happy girl :-)

What if I had the option to get plastic surgery?I wouldn't, I am too afraid of any and all complications....

I've thought about Laser Eye Surgery and I am too afraid I'd go blind...