If I Could Do Anything As A Health Activist

… Get aspirational. Money is no longer an option. What is your biggest goal that is now possible? How could you get there?
Now bring it back down to size. How much of this can you accomplish now, in a year, in five years?

Once I got certified as a Health and Nutrition Consultant—and even before—I knew all I wanted to do was help as many people as I could. To be able to do that, I would want to start a Health Consultant company. But it wouldn't be one of those super expensive ones that charges this much for a consultant and then you have to sign a contract then meet with someone else before you even start talking healthy anything.

It would be called Healthy Food, Healthy You. I would make it super affordable for all types but enough to earn the best reputation for being one of the best companies out there. We would start with a consultant asking about current health status, areas of concern and questions, medications, etc. Then I would come up with a healthy food plan and recommendations that are easy to incorporate into the busiest of lives. We would talk about short-term and long-term goals and come up with a plan to meet both of those. I would also offer at cooking tips, recipes, grocery tours and even cooking lessons at a clients house.

Part of this company is not just about learning how to eat healthy, but it's also about being a healthy you. So it would have to include a Pilate's/workout area. I would be working with my best friend who is a Certified Pilate's Instructor. And we would offer Pilate's classes, easy exercises anyone can do at home, etc.

Everyone can dream big, right?

But then reality sets in. If I could accomplish this with in this next year, I can start with my website, which is still in the works. It is called Healthy Food, Healthy You. And include everything from above.

After five years, I would hope that the word has spread and I have clients with long-lasting relationships and satisfied with the results; word-of-mouth clients eager to get started; and an amazing studio to do everything.

While also showing people how easy it is start their healthy life as long as the motivation is there, I would also be able to bring awareness to living with psoriasis. I would like to be a guest speaker, guest blog or even write a book and talk about living with it and how to eat healthy to keep it under control.

I would continue to stay on top of my health certifications, attend conferences and network with those in my field. And hopefully it takes off from there.

This post was written as part of NHBPM – 30 health posts in 30 days: http://bit.ly/vU0g9J

Smart Grocery Shopping Today

I am all about healthy, nutritious food—but it also has to be good to the taste buds. A lot of nutritious food out there doesn't taste good. Becoming a certified nutritionist has helped me learn about how our bodies react to the food we put in it and how to eat better. So I am on a mission to cook healthy and tasty food.

I will be posting my recipes on here. And please feel free to post your go-to recipes or experiment with these recipes and let me know your feedback!

First off, you should know that I buy most of the meat from Costco. It's cost efficient, easy and you always have meat for a variety of meals. I also purchase a lot of our whole wheat bread there and freeze it till I'm ready to use it. I purchase:
100% whole wheat sandwich thins—great for sandwiches, breakfast, mini pizzas
Whole Wheat, reduce fat English Muffins—great for all of the above!
Whole Wheat wraps—all of the above



Meat I purchase:
Chicken breast tenderloins
Ground turkey
Salmon fillets or Salmon burgers (so good with quinoa or on a salad)
Cooked and peeled shrimp (jambalaya, chili, pasta)

I purchase these on a monthly basis. Not all of them, just most of them depending on what I want to do for the month. Plan ahead!

I don't usually purchase my vegetable from Costco. I don't really need to say why (pesticides, pesticides, pesticides). Plus, Seattle is filled with Farmer's Markets EVERYDAY. And I actually love going to them picking out fresh fruits and veggies. If you look at a garden, you will see that not all tomatoes, apples berries look the exact same. But guess what, the ones at grocery stores do. Ever wonder why? To prevent them from bruising and insects—on the ride to your store, they are injected with growth hormones and pesticides to keep them looking them same. No lie. Read more info here on the top 20 scariest food facts.

Next tip, get to your framers markets! Click here for a great website that lets you know where farmers markets are in your area. Would love to hear about your experience. And don't be afraid to ask the producers about the products they are selling. It's their baby and they will tell you everything from how often they water, when they pick to best preserve their freshness, etc.

Canned Items I purchase:
black beans—can be used in omelets, salads, chili's. But make sure you rinse and drain them to wash out all the extra sodium.
crushed tomatoes—tomato sauce, eggs, chili's, saute with veggies, pizza sauce

Frozen items I purchase:
Vegetable Medley. I've said this before, but don't be afraid to purchase frozen fruit or veggies. As they are frozen at the peak of their freshness which means you still get all the antioxidants and benefits from eating them compared to grocery store f&v's.
Frozen Fruit mixture—great for breakfast smoothies, after dinner desserts(not loaded with HFCS) and snacks.

I also purchase their Havarti Cheese in bulk. Here is some nutritional info about Havarti. Just remember portion size! It's cheaper then the deli sliced cheese and healthier than some of their options. Swiss or pepper jack cheese is also a good option. As for turkey (lower in sodium than ham) for our sandwiches, I purchase that at Safeway.

I hope this helps. I always try to write down what it is that I do and how it is helpful. I cook dinner for Chris and I every night, so purchasing the meat and canned items in bulk saves time and money—and makes it easy when I'm preparing meals for the week.

Leave your tips here and let me know what else you would like to see. I will be posting some recipes soon!

HAPPY AND HEALTHY EATING